Minneapolis Employment Lawyers
A Comprehensive Approach To Employment Law
At LeBlanc Law & Mediation, a Minneapolis, Minnesota, employment law firm, we strive to make complex, frustrating employment issues more manageable for our clients. We represent employees and businesses throughout Minnesota, guiding them through every stage of the legal process with attentive service tailored to their needs.
Elite Service And Unrivaled Value
We believe that during stressful times, an employment lawyer should make your life more manageable, not more frustrating. That is why we pride ourselves on providing clients with first class service at an affordable rate, responding to all calls and e-mails within 24 hours, and taking the time to answer questions and offer thorough explanations.
At LeBlanc Law & Mediation, we provide personalized employment law services in a wide variety of areas, including the following:
Employment Discrimination
Our employment lawyers represent clients who have been discriminated against at any stage of the employment relationship, including applicants who have been refused consideration and employees denied promotion or training, who have been paid less, harassed, terminated or otherwise treated differently for being members of a protected class.
Gender Discrimination
Many women are still kept out of certain industries based on stereotypes, are put on the “mommy-track” because they might hope to have a family, and struggle against “glass ceilings” while climbing the corporate ladder. Our attorneys partner with women to help ensure that their rights are protected and they have the opportunities they deserve.
Race Discrimination
Race discrimination is still prevalent in our country, decades after the civil rights movement made it illegal to discriminate on the basis of race. At LeBlanc Law & Mediation, we are dedicated to fighting beside workers who aren’t given job opportunities, aren’t paid the same wages as other workers, are given less favorable working conditions, or are harassed and even terminated based on their race.
Disability Discrimination
Workers with disabilities face additional challenges in the workplace, sometimes because employers are unwilling to take the minor steps necessary to accommodate an employee’s needs. The Americans with Disability’s Act (ADA) protects individuals with disabilities, and we work closely to ensure that our clients are granted the reasonable accommodations the law requires.
Pregnancy Discrimination
One of the most common times for gender discrimination to arise is when a woman is carrying or has just given birth to a child. Sometimes, women see their opportunities at work diminish or responsibilities reassigned. Other times, women coming back from maternity leave are told their job has been cut or they are transferred to a less desirable role
Age Discrimination
Often employers want experienced workers, but they also want to keep their health insurance premiums low, avoid paying out pensions and may assume younger employees are better equipped to utilize the latest technological advancements. However, workers over 40 are a protected class, and they cannot be passed over, pressured to retire, harassed or fired simply due to their age.
Sexual Orientation Discrimination
Our employment lawyers help clients fight against discrimination based on sexual orientation by guiding clients through the process of filing a charge with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights and advocating zealously to protect their rights at work.
National Origin Discrimination
People often confuse national origin discrimination with race discrimination, but national origin discrimination actually offers a wider protection for workers harassed due to their ethnicity, birthplace, ancestry, cultural habits, dialect or accent.
Marital Status Discrimination
Our employment lawyers represent clients who have been discriminated against because of their status as single, married, remarried, separated, divorced or widowed, as well as based on the identity, situation, actions or beliefs of an employee’s spouse or former spouse.
Religious Discrimination
Everyone has the right to his or her own religious beliefs, and both state and federal laws protect employees from being discriminated against in employment settings on the basis of religion. Our lawyers represent clients who have been discriminated against, harassed, or denied reasonable accommodations for their sincerely held religious beliefs and practices.
Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment can take many forms: actual unwanted physical contact, offers for a benefit in return for a sexual favor, or even repeated jokes, demeaning remarks and advances that make a workplace difficult to tolerate. Our Minneapolis employment law attorneys offer victims of harassment a safe place to tell their story and the support they need to stand up for their rights.
Retaliation
One of the most common charges filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is retaliation. Our Minneapolis employment lawyers advocate diligently on behalf of employees who have filed a charge to protect their own rights, who have testified on behalf of a colleague, or who have reported illegal or unethical behavior of their employers.
Wrongful Termination
Most workers are at-will employees, meaning they are free to quit and their employer is free to terminate them for any reason, or for no reason at all. However, that does not give the employer the right to fire them for discriminatory reasons, to retaliate against them or to go against provisions laid out in an employment contract.
Severance Agreements
Employees are often asked to sign a separation agreement when offered severance. While this may seem like standard practice, employees may sign away rights without fully understanding the effect of their agreements. We review severance and separation agreements and negotiate on behalf of clients when they are uncomfortable with the terms offered.
Wage And Hour Disputes
Most employees work hard for their wage, and depend on them to make ends meet. When employers don’t pay minimum wage, withhold overtime pay, refuse to let workers take breaks, or misclassify employees to avoid paying them fairly, employees need experienced attorneys to help them stand up for their rights and secure the payment they deserve.
Non-Compete Agreements
Often, when employees begin a new job they are asked to sign a non-compete agreement. Unfortunately, many don’t consider what these agreements might mean on their future career. We sit down with clients to review and explain non-competes before they are signed. Our attorneys also help clients understand and protect their rights when a former employer tries to enforce a non-compete after the employment has ended.
Family & Medical Leave Act
There are many reasons that workers need to take leave. Most often, leave is needed because of the birth of a child or a serious health condition that affects the employee, or a member of his or her family. When workers meet the federal criteria, they are guaranteed 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year. Our Minneapolis employment lawyers advocate on behalf of clients who have been denied their earned medical leave.
Unemployment Appeals
If you are out of work, having your application for unemployment denied can be devastating. However, the Minnesota Unemployment Insurance Law grants an impartial hearing to review that decision. Our experienced employment attorneys guide clients through the unemployment appeals process, giving them knowledgable advice and advocating on their behalf in unemployment appeals hearings.
Contact A Dedicated Minneapolis Employment Law Attorney
To schedule a free initial consultation with a Minneapolis employment law attorney serving clients throughout the Twin Cities, contact LeBlanc Law & Mediation at 612-337-9530.
