A labour and employment lawyer is tasked with many responsibilities, including enforcing whistle-blower laws, following up on discrimination or wrongful termination cases, and protecting the employee’s rights to fair treatment in the workplace. The career involves regular interaction with other lawyers, managers, business executives, insurance companies and HR professionals.
Samples of projects that an employment attorney might be required to complete include helping draft policies for fair hiring practices; filing lawsuits against employers who fail to compensate employees for overtime work; writing standard forms of employment agreements (providing legal advice about the terms of compensation); preparing memos regarding company rules; attending staff meetings; mediating disputes between managers and employees; discussing references needed by former employees; representing clients in court.
Some employment attorneys will consult with companies to help them with compliance issues that may arise, such as whether or not a written employment agreement is needed for an employee or what can be done if a company violates labour laws. Employment attorneys are required to have excellent writing and speaking skills in order to provide clear legal advice to employees, managers and customers.
Additionally, most employment lawyers work regular business hours, Monday through Friday. However, some employers require their employees to work on nights or weekends for special projects or cases.
Employment lawyers are expected to have at least a Juris Doctor degree from an ABA-approved law school. Some states also require attorneys working in this field hold a bachelor’s degree in any subject. Lawyers who want to specialize must complete training that includes classes in employment law, litigation and civil procedure.
A degree in economics, business or accounting is generally required for consideration in this field. An attorney can enter the workforce with an undergraduate degree in any subject; however, certain employers may require a background in one of these specific disciplines. Most companies hiring attorneys look for candidates who have strong communication skills (ability to speak clearly), knowledge of legal principles and good analytical skills. Employment lawyers must be able to work under pressure- deadlines are often tight and cases can be time-sensitive.
Some employers prefer lawyers who have previous experience working for an attorney’s office, but many entry-level positions will accept applications from recent graduates looking to start their careers as employment attorneys. Applicants note that most jobs require U.S. citizenship. If an attorney works in the public sector he or she may be asked to work past regular business hours, evenings and weekends.
Employment attorneys typically work for law firms; however, some companies employ lawyers full-time to act as legal counsel for employees.
The average salary of an employment lawyer depends on the location (urban area versus rural area), level of experience and occupation (business or government). Lawyers working in private practice can expect to earn between $180,000-$250,000 per year while staff attorneys working in California will generally make between $100,000 – $160,000 per year depending on their experience and degree earned. The highest earners in this field are employed at large law firms where partners bill more than $1,000 per hour.
Every job in the USA has a different set of laws and HR rules too. It’s no secret that court cases and all the other stuff people do to get fired cost a lot of money; hundreds or thousands even, if not more. Companies make mistakes when it comes to hiring and firing people all the time. It’s impossible for people like human resources managers to know every single detail of their state’s labour law for each department in the company. Even when companies manage to follow all labour laws, there’s no guarantee that an employment lawyer can’t overturn something and get you out of trouble for much less than the potential legal fees and penalties involved.
Let our expert employment lawyer in California handle your case so you can rest easy. For companies operating in California, it is essential to have an experienced employment lawyer on hand. Davtyan Law Firm, Inc. is a California employment lawyer who specializes in labour law cases. With over 25 years of experience, they can help you with your case, no matter how simple or complex it may be. Get the legal remedies you are entitled to with an experienced employment law attorney on your side.
Davtyan Law Firm, Inc.
880 E Broadway, Glendale, CA 91205
(855) 205-3681
www.davtyanlaw.com