If you’ve been mistreated in the workplace in Chambersburg, PA, you may have a valid claim against your employer. Whether you’ve been harassed, discriminated against, or were wrongfully terminated, Marzzacco Niven & Associates can help.
Our Chambersburg employment lawyers are fierce advocates for workers throughout Pennsylvania. We have over 120 years of combined experience handling workers’ compensation and employment law matters – and we’re skilled negotiators and litigators.
We stand up for employees and fight to ensure that they receive fair treatment at work. To discuss your legal options and potential solutions, contact our law firm by calling (717) 388-2378. We offer a free consultation, so there’s no obligation or risk in reaching out for assistance.
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How Can Our Chambersburg Employment Attorneys Help With Your Dispute?
It isn’t easy to stand up for yourself against your employer. You’re likely worried about how they’ll handle your complaint and whether you’ll be treated differently afterward. You don’t have to face your employment issues alone. Let Marzzacco Niven & Associates represent your best interests and fight for your rights.
Our employment lawyers in Chambersburg have assisted countless employees in resolving disputes and obtaining justice. We’ll use our considerable experience, resources, and skills to pursue the best possible outcome for you.
If you retain our legal services, we’ll be your strongest ally and handle your case from start to finish, including:
- Listening to your concerns and offering honest, compassionate legal guidance
- Identifying the state and federal laws that apply to your workplace dispute
- Collecting evidence to prove your claim and the value of your losses
- Handling all communications, documentation, and administrative tasks on your behalf
- Protecting you against unlawful retaliation by your employer
- Promptly filing a claim with the proper state or federal government agency if necessary
- Providing fierce representation in court
You deserve fair treatment in the workplace – and we’ll help you achieve this objective. Contact our law firm today for a free initial consultation if you’ve got an employment dispute in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.
State and Federal Employment Laws That May Affect Your Case in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
Many laws are in effect to protect employees from unfair treatment at work.
Our employment attorneys in Chambersburg can handle any kind of work-related issue, including violations of the following state and federal laws:
- The Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA)
- Pennsylvania’s Equal Pay Law
- Pennsylvania’s Minimum Wage Act of 1968
- Pennsylvania’s Whistleblower Law
- Pennsylvania’s overtime rules
- The Pennsylvania Wage Payment and Collection Law
- The Civil Rights Act of 1964
- The Equal Pay Act of 1963 (EPA)
- The Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)
- The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA)
- The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978
- The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
- The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA)
- The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA)
You may have a valid claim under both state and federal law, depending on the employment matter. We’ll discuss your situation and identify which laws apply to your employment case.
What Is Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964?
Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, it is unlawful for employers to discriminate against employees or job applicants due to their national origin, race, color, sex, or religion.
This anti-discrimination law applies to employers with at least 15 employees.
It could apply if an employer does any of the following to a member of a protected class for a discriminatory reason:
- Refuses to hire them
- Fires them
- Pays them less than others
- Provides fewer benefits or privileges than others
- Segregates them
- Refuses to train them
- Fails to give them job opportunities or promotions
Title VII is enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
What Is the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA)?
The Pennsylvania Human Relations Act is the Commonwealth’s law that prohibits employment discrimination.
It covers Pennsylvania employers with at least four employees, meaning it applies to more employers than Title VII. It also protects more workers because it adds additional protected classes. For example, it is unlawful for PA employers to discriminate based on a blind, deaf, or physically impaired person’s use of a support animal.
Our Attorneys Represent Victims in All Types of Employment Law Claims in Chambersburg, PA
Being unhappy at work or dealing with a rude supervisor probably won’t give you a valid cause of action against your employer. However, you do have certain rights, and you’re entitled to work in an environment free of discriminatory conduct and harassment.
At Marzzacco Niven & Associates, our Chambersburg labor lawyers handle all types of employment disputes, including those involving:
- Employment discrimination
- Hostile work environment
- Wrongful termination
- Sexual harassment
- Employer retaliation
- Race discrimination
- Age discrimination
- Pregnancy discrimination
- Sex discrimination
- Gender discrimination
- Disability discrimination
- Religious discrimination
- Wage discrimination
- Whistleblower claims
- Workers’ compensation claims, including retaliation for filing and denials of benefits
- Wage theft and unpaid income
- Unpaid overtime wages
- Wage and hour disputes
- Vacation, PTO, and benefits disputes
- FMLA claims
- Reviews of non-compete clauses, employment contracts, and severance agreements
- Claims by independent contractors
Below, we explain some of the most common types of issues our Chambersburg labor attorneys handle.
Sexual Harassment Claims
Sexual harassment is shockingly common in Pennsylvania and throughout the U.S. Around 80% of women and 20% of men have experienced workplace sexual harassment or assault.
Examples of sex-based harassment at work could include:
- Sexual assault
- Unwanted sexual advances or conduct
- Requesting sexual favors
- Making a promotion or anything employment-related dependent on sexual favors
- Verbal harassment, including crude or offensive language
- Unwanted physical contact
- Indecent exposure
- Mistreatment based on sexual orientation or gender
- Being demoted or discharged for not engaging in sexual activity
- Your employer’s failure to investigate a sexual harassment complaint
- Your employer’s retaliation against you for filing a complaint
You don’t have to deal with this type of sexual misconduct when you’re working. We can help hold your company financially responsible for its wrongdoing.
Workplace Discrimination Claims
If you’re a member of a protected class and your employer is discriminating against you because of it, you have legal rights. That’s true whether the discrimination is intentional or a policy or procedure has a discriminatory impact (such as a dress code).
Work-related discrimination can occur anytime, from recruiting to termination.
For example, the following may give rise to a valid claim if your employer does it for a discriminatory purpose:
- Denies an interview, job position, promotion, or professional opportunity
- Segregates you from others
- Intentionally harasses you
- Terminates your employment
- Pays you different wages than others in similar positions
- Implements a dress code that has a discriminatory effect
If you’re being unfairly treated due to your membership in a protected group, seek help from our experienced employment attorneys.
Wrongful Termination Claims
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has at-will employment – meaning employers can typically discharge employees without cause. However, they cannot fire workers due to an unlawful purpose.
If you were let go due to any of the following reasons, you may have been wrongfully terminated:
- Discrimination
- Requesting reasonable accommodations for your disability
- Retaliation for reporting harassment or a safety violation
- Filing a workers’ compensation claim
- Refusing to engage in illegal activity
- Requesting time off under FMLA or for another valid purpose, such as to serve on jury duty
You may also have a constructive discharge claim. This may apply if your employer made your work environment so intolerable or hostile that any reasonable person would quit.
What Types of Compensation Are Available in Pennsylvania Employment Law Cases?
The kind of damages you’ll be able to recover will depend on the type of claim, your employer’s actions, and how the dispute has affected your life. The ultimate goal is to equitably resolve the situation and put you in a similar position as before the mistreatment occurred.
Some potential legal remedies you may be able to pursue in a labor law claim include:
- Back pay
- Lost income and job benefits
- Reinstatement, hiring, or promotion
- Payment for unlawfully denied benefits and raises
- Reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, such as the cost of searching for a different job
- Legal fees and litigation expenses
- Non-economic damages for pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of reputation, embarrassment, or inconvenience
- Punitive damages if your employer’s conduct was malicious
The dedicated employment attorneys at Marzzacco Niven & Associates will identify and pursue the full extent of your losses. We want to ensure that we explore every possible source of compensation.
How Long Do I Have To File an Employment Dispute in Pennsylvania?
The applicable deadline depends on the type of claim and whether it falls under federal or state law.
For example, if you’re filing a claim against your Pennsylvania employer due to unpaid wages, you have three years from the date you should’ve been paid.
However, discrimination and sexual harassment claims have shorter deadlines. They must typically be filed within 180 days, whether you file it with the EEOC or the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC). The EEOC deadline may be extended to 300 days if Pennsylvania law also applies.
There may be exceptions, and other types of employment disputes may have different deadlines and statutes of limitations. It’s crucial to speak with an experienced employment lawyer as soon as possible to preserve your right to hold your employer accountable for their misconduct.
Schedule a Free Case Evaluation With Our Chambersburg Employment Lawyers
Have you been treated unfairly in the workplace? If so, contact the experienced Chambersburg employment lawyers at Marzzacco Niven & Associates for immediate assistance. You don’t have to continue being exposed to mistreatment at work.
Contact our Chambersburg employment law firm today to discuss what’s happening and your legal options for compensation.