Plain-language answers to the most common employment law questions, written by Haute Lawyer Network's editorial team.
A class action employment lawsuit allows a large group of employees who have been harmed in the same way by the same employer to pursue t…
Read Answer →Whistleblower protection laws protect employees who report employer misconduct — illegal activity, regulatory violations, fraud, and safe…
Read Answer →The Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) of 1978 amended Title VII to make clear that discrimination based on pregnancy, childbirth, or rel…
Read Answer →Workplace retaliation occurs when an employer takes adverse action against an employee for engaging in legally protected activity. Retali…
Read Answer →Constructive discharge — also called constructive dismissal — occurs when an employer makes working conditions so intolerable that a reas…
Read Answer →The Equal Pay Act of 1963 (EPA) requires employers to pay male and female employees equal wages for equal work performed under similar wo…
Read Answer →A non-solicitation agreement is a contract provision that prohibits a former employee from soliciting the employer's customers or employe…
Read Answer →The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified…
Read Answer →The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires most employers to pay eligible employees 1.5 times their regular rate of pay for all hours w…
Read Answer →Unemployment insurance (UI) is a state-administered program that provides temporary financial assistance to workers who lose their jobs t…
Read Answer →An independent contractor is a worker who provides services to a client as a separate business entity rather than as an employee. The leg…
Read Answer →An employment contract is a legally binding agreement — written or in some cases implied — that establishes the terms and conditions of e…
Read Answer →Sexual harassment in the workplace is a form of sex discrimination prohibited by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. It encompasses two di…
Read Answer →A hostile work environment is a form of workplace harassment that occurs when an employee is subjected to conduct based on a protected ch…
Read Answer →Workers' compensation is a state-mandated insurance program that provides benefits to employees who are injured or become ill as a result…
Read Answer →Wage theft occurs when an employer fails to pay employees what they are legally owed. Common forms include unpaid overtime — the FLSA req…
Read Answer →A severance agreement is a contract where the employer provides pay and benefits in exchange for the employee releasing all legal claims…
Read Answer →The Family and Medical Leave Act allows eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year for qualifying…
Read Answer →Workplace discrimination occurs when an employer treats an employee or job applicant less favorably because of a legally protected charac…
Read Answer →Wrongful termination occurs when an employer fires an employee for a reason that is illegal under federal or state law. Despite the term,…
Read Answer →At-will employment is the default employment relationship in 49 of 50 U.S. states — only Montana requires just cause for termination. At-…
Read Answer →Join Haute Lawyer Network and have your profile featured alongside these answers.
Apply for Membership →