Employment Law

You Don't Have to Take It Anymore

If you've been the target of illegal misconduct on the part of your employer, you don't have to remain silent. In today's world, discrimination or harassment exposes companies to liabilities they cannot afford. At Miller Cohen, P.L.C., our employment law and labor attorneys have a long, well-established reputation as one of Michigan's strongest defenders of working people and their rights.

If you've been fired for reporting wrongdoing or illegal activity, believe that you've been discriminated against because of your age, race, sex, or disability, or simply have a question about FMLA leave or overtime pay, contact our firm at 313-964-4454 or 800-221-6021.

Helping Working People Defend Their Rights

Our employment law attorneys are prepared to effectively negotiate and litigate compensation for the losses caused by illegal and unfair labor law or employment practices. With over forty years of experience in standing up for employees, we know how to uncover wrongdoing, gather documents and information and put the law on your side.

We represent workers and employees in the following kinds of employment-related legal matters:

• Discrimination — Federal and Michigan laws prohibit employers from discriminating against workers on the basis of their age, gender, race, religion, disability or national origin. We file discrimination-related claims with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Michigan Department of Civil Rights. We seek justice for employees who were fired, denied a promotion, not hired, or otherwise treated unfairly due to their race, age, sex, disability, religion or ethnicity.
• Sex Discrimination — We fight for men and women who were discriminated against at work because of their gender. Sexual discrimination can include unwanted sexual advances, demands for sexual favors in exchange for employment, retaliation against an employee who refuses sexual advances, or the existence of a hostile workplace environment which a reasonable person would find intimidating, offensive or abusive. Sex discrimination can also include an employer who takes any adverse employment action against a woman simply because she is pregnant.
• Minimum Wage — American workers went almost a decade before the last increase in the minimum wage. Unfortunately, many employers continue to avoid paying this decent living wage to their employees. Other employers may improperly classify their employees as independent contractors to be paid by the job. If you or someone you know is not being paid minimum wage, don't be afraid to speak out.
• Overtime Pay — Except for exempt salaried employees, employees who work more than 40 hours a week are entitled to overtime pay. Some employers will make employees perform work before they punch in or complete tasks after working hours. Others will try to avoid paying overtime to employees by misclassifying them as managers who are otherwise exempt from overtime pay.
• Harassment — Not all forms of harassment are illegal. However, if you are being harassed because of your sex, age, race, religion, disability or membership in another protected class, call our office to discuss your options for ending this illegal workplace harassment.
• Wrongful Discharge — Most workers can be fired for any reason or no reason by their employer. However, if you have an employment contract or union contract which requires good reason for termination, you may be able to sue for breach of contract if you were fired without good cause. If you were fired or terminated because of your age, race, disability, sex, or religion, you may also have a claim for wrongful discharge. Lastly, firing an employee is illegal if it is done in retaliation for filing a workers' compensation claim, reporting wrongdoing as a whistleblower, or filing a claim for harassment.
• Whistleblower Claims — Under Michigan's Whistleblowers' Protection Act, it is illegal for an employer to discharge, threaten or otherwise discriminate against an employee for reporting misconduct, fraud or other violations of the law or rules. Federal law also provides similar protection to whistleblowers in certain situations.
• Family Medical Leave Act — The FMLA allows most employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid medical or pregnancy leave. We advise and represent workers and unions in disputes over family medical leave, including employees who were fired or retaliated against for taking an FMLA leave.

HR Won't Help Me - What Should I Do?

If you are experiencing discrimination, harassment or any other misconduct in the workplace and your claim is about a violation of federal law, it is wise to consult with an attorney before you contact the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). By law, the EEOC is required to notify an employer that it is under investigation if a complaint has been registered against it. Some unscrupulous employers will expunge e-mail records, phone messages and scrub employee files.

Before turning to the EEOC, contact us so we can help you put together a plan to prove your case. We can help you identify records and documents you need to establish your case. Collecting e-mails, copies of performance reviews, HR policies and handbooks, and other information will be important in establishing your employer's liability during negotiations or at trial. Not all discrimination claims go through the EEOC. Some may be filed with the Michigan Civil Rights Commission. You should know where to go and when to go. And you should know whether someone, such as your lawyer, should go with you.

If companies do not respond to reason, our employment law attorneys will make them respond to us in court. We have the experience and resources to get the kind of results that you need.

A Strong Tradition of Working with Labor Unions

Having helped working people over the course of many years, we're proud of the opportunities we have had to work with labor unions, including the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), United Auto Workers (UAW), United Steel Workers of America (USWA), United Packinghouse Workers of America (UPWA), Office & Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Association for Flight Attendants - Communications Workers of America (AFA-CWA) and Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA).

Our attorneys represent unions before the National Labor Relations Board (NRLB), as well as state labor boards in a wide range of employment disputes, including wrongful discharge.

Questions? Contact Miller Cohen, P.L.C. Today

With the employment lawyers of Miller Cohen, P.L.C. on your side, you don't have to take it anymore. Contact our office today for more information about the legal remedies available to you. Our fees are collected as a percentage of any settlement or trial verdict awarded our clients. And, since we don't get paid unless you do, you'll never have to worry about the cost of taking on your employer. Take control of the situation — contact Miller Cohen, P.L.C. today.