Legal Advice & Counsel for Employees in Chicago, IL
Chicago Employment Lawyer
The Law Offices of Fern Trevino offers advice and counseling for Chicago-area executives, professionals and other employees. An experienced attorney at the firm can assist with workplace concerns such as:
- how to address an ongoing or difficult work situation with a co-worker or manager;
- how to prepare for a meeting with Human Resources;
- whether and how to respond to a poor performance review;
- whether and how to report something inappropriate or illegal that has happened at work; and
- what to do if you believe your rights are being violated.
You may be wondering, "What are my rights?" "Do I have a claim?" "Are my facts strong enough to go to court?" "What are the pros and cons of going to court?" "What is the process of going to court—how long does it take and how much does it cost?"
A Chicago employment lawyer at the Law Offices of Fern Trevino can answer these and other questions, and will offer sound guidance based on 30 years of experience. The firm handles cases involving
wrongful termination, all forms of workplace
discrimination,
sexual harassment,
FMLA violations,
whistleblower claims and issues involving
hostile work environments. The firm also offers guidance related
to non-compete agreements,
non-solicitation contracts and
severance agreements. If you are experiencing problems related to compensation, the firm can also assist with cases involving
wages and hours as well as
overtime pay.
Client Counseling from a Skilled Employment Attorney
Employees may find counseling with a Chicago-area employment attorney extremely helpful, even if it is ultimately determined that there are not enough facts to support a claim, or that the facts are so weak that it would be a waste of time and effort to take legal action. Just knowing that your facts are not actionable will enable you to put your energy elsewhere. You can consider what you can do to properly respond to a troubling situation. Even if you cannot take legal action, you can consider what actions would be in your best interest.
The Law Offices of Fern Trevino counsels employees on strategies for moving forward, by, for example, devising an exit strategy, taking steps in an effort to avoid bad references, and planning what to say in job interviews.
Sometimes employees say and or do things that compromise their job or legal rights, wrongly assuming that they have a valid claim when they do not. The firm counsels employees on how to avoid those pitfalls.
Employees often jeopardize their situation by confiding in a Human Resources representative, who, in turn, betrays the employee's confidence to his or her managers. Since one of the primary functions of a Human Resources official is to protect the company from liability, employees should not assume that an HR official will honor a request for confidentiality. Of course, some matters should be reported to Human Resources. The firm provides guidance to employees on when and how to report unlawful and improper acts and other concerns.
Some employees feel they are not ready to pursue a claim against the employer even though they have facts to support a claim. It is not uncommon for employees, especially strong performers, to assume that if they just work a little harder, the workplace situation will improve or the problem will resolve. Employees who delay may discover that their claims, though supported by strong facts, are no longer viable because the time limit for filing the claim has passed.
With legal advice and counseling by an experienced employment lawyer, employees can be proactive in learning about and protecting their rights in the workplace, in case their problems at work do not resolve.
Contact a Chicago employment attorneyto learn more about client counseling and the other legal services the firm offers.