Atlanta Employment Law Attorney
Christine Forsythe is an Atlanta employment lawyer who is licensed in both Georgia and Florida and has handled cases on a national scale. She is active in the National Employment Lawyers Association and the American Bar Association, where she regularly speaks at conferences on legal topics to other attorneys, and she has represented numerous clients in both state and federal courts. If you are an employee who has suffered unlawful discrimination or harassment in the workplace, if you have been denied protected leave or been denied your earned wages or overtime, or if you have been retaliated against at work for exercising lawfully protected rights or advocating for workplace safety, then The Forsythe Law Firm will stand with you, fight for you, and make sure your employment rights are respected and vindicated. Call our experienced Atlanta employment law attorney today.
- Age Discrimination
- Disability Discrimination
- EEOC Charges
- Employment Contract Negotiation
- Employment Discrimination
- Employment Dispute
- FMLA
- Harassment/Hostile Workplace
- Pregnancy Discrimination
- Retaliation
- Sex/Gender Discrimination
- Sexual Orientation Discrimination
- Sexual Harassment
- Wage & Hour Dispute
- Workplace Safety
- Wrongful Termination
Employment Discrimination
Laws like Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Georgia Fair Employment Practices Act of 1978, and many others, protect individuals from discrimination based on protected characteristics such as their race, color, religion, sex/gender, national origin, age, disability, pregnancy, and sexual orientation. Workers are protected from discrimination in all aspects of employment, including during the application and hiring phase; in issues of pay, benefits, work assignments, transfers, and promotions; and regarding discipline and termination. If you have been unlawfully discriminated against, harassed, or subjected to a hostile workplace, or if you’ve been retaliated against for speaking out or complaining of unfair treatment, we’ll help you get the appropriate remedy and compensation to hold your employer accountable for their illegal and wrongful actions. We appear before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity (GCEO), and in state and federal courts as necessary to protect you and defend your rights.
Sexual Harassment
Georgia state and federal law prohibit both “quid pro quo” sexual harassment – where an employee’s job or treatment at work depends on their willingness to engage in a sexual or romantic relationship with a supervisor – as well as “hostile environment” sexual harassment, where unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature is so severe or pervasive that it makes the workplace a hostile or intimidating place to be. The law prohibits both same-sex and opposite-sex harassment, as well as harassment perpetrated by supervisors, colleagues, customers or third parties such as vendors and suppliers. Sexual harassment laws have been on the books and upheld by courts for over 50 years, but recent events in Atlanta and nationwide demonstrate that the fight against sexual harassment is far from over. If you have been subjected to sexual harassment at work, we’ll make sure those responsible are held accountable to you and forced to pay for the damage they’ve done.
FMLA
The federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows workers to take up to twelve weeks of unpaid leave every year for a qualifying condition, including birth, adoption or placement of a child for foster care; a serious health condition of an immediate family member; or the employee’s own serious health condition. Many aspects of the law can be hard to figure out, including which employers are covered and which employees are eligible, when the law applies, whether employees can or must substitute accrued paid leave for FMLA leave, whether FMLA leave can be taken intermittently, and more. If your valid request for FMLA was denied or you are not being properly accommodated, we’ll make sure your employer understands their obligations to you, and we’ll help you recover compensation for any harm done if they’ve violated your rights.
Wage and Hour Disputes
Wage and hour disputes can take many forms. Employers violate minimum wage and overtime requirements in many ways, including forcing employees to work off the clock, failing to pay for on-call periods and “pre-shift” or “post-shift” work, misclassifying employees as independent contractors or overtime-exempt employees, and improperly calculating the tip credit for minimum wage. Some violations go on for years before employees catch on. We’ll put a stop to these unlawful practices and recover as much back pay for you as the law allows.
Workplace Safety
Workplace safety should be paramount in any setting, from the construction site to the executive suite to the factory floor. Government agencies like the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) set standards for workplace safety and respond to complaints by investigating workplaces and fining employers who are out of compliance. Sadly, many employers respond to OSHA complaints by rooting out the complainant and retaliating against them with unfavorable assignments, passing them over for promotions, or even concocting reasons to terminate them. Making a workplace safety complaint to your employer, OSHA or another agency is a protected activity; if you’ve been retaliated against or forced to work under hazardous conditions, The Forsythe Law Firm will go to bat for you and stand up for your rights.
Employment Contract Negotiation
Employment relationships often represent an imbalance of power between employer and employee, with the employee feeling obliged to consent to whatever terms and conditions the employer is offering. If you are an executive or professional employee, your value and worth to the organization should be recognized. We’ll advise and represent you in the negotiation, drafting and review of any employment agreement related to your employment, including contracts of employment, severance packages, and non-compete and non-solicitation agreements.
Employment Disputes
Employment disputes can arise at any stage of the employment process, from discrimination in hiring and work assignments to harassment in the workplace, wage and hour issues during employment, and wrongful termination at separation. As an experienced employment law litigator, attorney Christine A. Forsythe can ably represent you in any employment dispute, including the scope and enforceability of non-compete covenants and non-solicitation agreements.
Contact The Forsythe Law Firm Today
For help with employment discrimination or sexual harassment complaints, wage and hour violations, workplace safety, retaliation or wrongful termination, or other employment disputes in Atlanta or surrounding areas, The Forsythe Law Firm is ready to amplify your voice and make sure you are heard and respected. Call our office today to discuss your situation with a skilled and passionate Atlanta employment law attorney.