Matthew J.P. Coffman

The question “Can I be fired without a reason?” comes up frequently, and the answer depends largely on your location and the specific circumstances of your employment. In Ohio, the answer is generally yes, but there are several important exceptions that could make a firing unlawful. If you suspect your termination may have crossed legal lines, consulting an experienced employment lawyer could be the first step in protecting your rights.

The FLSA permits employers to utilize timekeeping systems that round subject to certain limitations. Contact our Ohio Wage and Hour Attorneys with questions.

An employer cannot have a broad confidentiality policy which calls for discipline or termination of employees who discuss wages, hours, or other terms of employment. Contact our Columbus Employment Attorneys today!

When an employee informs their employer that they are pregnant, employers are expected to provide reasonable accommodations for the pregnant employee. This does not necessarily mean they must do everything to accommodate a pregnant employee, but they must provide reasonable accommodations based on the request the employee has made.

Employers must include shift differentials when calculating employees’ regular rate of pay for overtime wages. Contact our Ohio FLSA Overtime Lawyers today.

Home Health Workers, Aides, and other Employees Providing Companionship Services are now entitled to Overtime Pay as of January 1, 2015.

If your Ohio employer has asked you to take a drug test, you may be wondering if the request is legal. The answer is yes. Many employees can legally be asked to take drug tests. This includes a lot of federal employees. Some of these federal employees are law enforcement officers or work within national security.

There are only a limited amount of circumstances when an employer can legally deduct from employee wages. Those reasons are clearly stated in federal law and Ohio law.

There are many ways that racism occurs within a workplace, and it is an illegal form of harassment due to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. That said, it still occurs. Overt racism may be less apparent than it was in the past, but there are still plenty of inappropriate and illegal comments and jokes. Bringing an employment law claim forward after a racist comment said casually can be complex as the language can be subtle in nature. That said, you have rights. Discuss your situation with a Columbus employment attorney.

Employers cannot require employees to have no restrictions or be 100% healed to return to work. Contact our Ohio Employment Discrimination Attorneys.

If you are a parent of a teenager, it is possible they want to get a job in order to secure funds for their college education or to simply have spending money. In Ohio, as in every state in the United States, child labor laws are in place. While it is possible for teenagers aged 14 to 17 to work, there are regulations and restrictions in place. Guidelines surrounding how many hours can be worked, for instance, are in place to protect individual rights.

Unfortunately, workplace harassment is common in Ohio, throughout the country, and the world. Harassment can create a toxic work environment, particularly if it goes unreported and is allowed to continue over time.

With a handful of exceptions, federal and state laws require employers to pay all part-time and full-time employees at least minimum wage or greater for all hours worked. An employee who gets paid less than minimum wage can sue their employer for unpaid wages plus additional damages and attorney’s fees.

One common issue that we often see resulting in claims for unpaid overtime occurs when employees are not being compensated for time working before the scheduled start, or after the scheduled end, of their shifts. Many employers pay employees based on their scheduled shifts rather than based on the time they are on the clock working before and/or after their shifts.

Most employers set and define the schedules for each of their employees. But as most individuals know, obligations frequently occur outside of the workplace that calls for attention such as childcare, helping a disabled relative, or even just needing an alternative schedule for one’s own needs.

Employers may violate laws related to tip pooling, tip credit, and other areas related to tipped employees’ compensation

Employee leave donation programs have been around for many years. They are a specific program that allows employees to donate time off to their coworkers. Leave donations may be made into a large pool for qualified coworkers to apply for or even directly to another coworker.

A wrongful termination occurs when an employer has terminated an employee for an unlawful reason or in violation of an employment contract.

A lawsuit for unpaid overtime wages in Ohio will usually come about when an employer has violated overtime laws that are set forth in the Federal Labor Standards Act (FLSA) for federal law or Ohio Minimum Fair Wage Standards Act.

If you or a loved one have faced sexual harassment at work, you may be entitled to compensation through a sexual harassment lawsuit.

Wrongful termination occurs when your employer terminates or fires you from your position for an unlawful reason. Some common reasons for wrongful termination include discrimination, retaliation, and a breach of an employment agreement.

No, there are differences between workers’ compensation law and employment law, but the two types of law do overlap in some situations. Which makes sense, because both types of law establish rules about the relationships between employers and employees. But, while workplaces are a connector, there are distinctions.

When it comes to workplace retaliation settlements in Ohio, a burning question you may have as a victim of retaliation in the workplace is how much you may see if you have a successful case on your hands.

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) was initially signed into law in 1993. The FMLA is an act that allows any eligible employee the right to take job-protected, unpaid leave for specific reasons that include qualifying medical leave and family issues.

Whether an employee paid on a per visit basis is entitled to overtime depends on several different factors.

In some workplaces, employers require employees to wear uniforms or dress in a certain way. For instance, a restaurant or cafe may require everyone working the counter or waiting tables to wear dark pants and a white shirt. In other circumstances, a specific uniform is provided. For example, a law enforcement officer wears the uniform of the police.

While it is true that Americans have First Amendment rights, including free speech, it does not guarantee how others will respond. Yes, the First Amendment allows you to freely express your views. But, if you speak your mind at work the First Amendment does not protect you from termination. Free speech is a core right, but job protection is a separate issue.

Non-exempt employees must be paid overtime wages for hours worked over 40 per week. Comp time is an unlawful means of avoiding overtime pay.

Employees and the companies or agencies they work for harbor many misperceptions about what the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows and requires. Close to the top of this list of mistaken beliefs, and what often appears to stop workers from exercising their rights under the FMLA, is that all available unpaid leave must be taken at one time.

When people get up and go to work in the morning, they are not typically thinking they will show up and face an allegation of illegal activity or bad behavior. But unfortunately, this has happened to individuals. Sometimes to reliable, good employees who have done nothing wrong.

There is a range of employment issues that can arise for employees in the workplace, including retaliation. But for employees facing things such as retaliation, it’s always important to know that there are federal and state-level protections that are afforded to employees to protect them from things such as retaliation.

The Family and Medical Leave Act requires all government agencies, elementary and secondary schools, and organizations with 50 or more employees to grant up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to workers who have accrued 12 months of full-time service.

Since this is nowhere near the complete answer, read on if you believe your employer is treating you unfairly when it comes to setting your hours and paying you for all the time you spend on the clock.

If your employer has an attendance policy that issues points or occurrences for medical leave or medical-related absences, you need to speak with our Ohio ADA lawyers immediately.

When an employer fails to provide agreed upon wages, whether knowingly or unknowingly, it can be especially stressful for you as an employee. Once you realize that you have unpaid wages, such as due to unpaid overtime pay or through work hours that have been rounded down, you may be wondering how to report unpaid wages or overtime violations in Ohio.

If your employer has an attendance policy that issues points or occurrences for medical leave or medical-related absences, you need to speak with our Ohio ADA lawyers immediately.

An employer’s obligation to compensate employees for time spent “on call” or waiting is a gray area under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”). The FLSA requires employers to pay at least minimum wage for all hours worked and overtime wages to hourly, non-exempt employees who work over 40 hours in a given workweek. Many employees spend significant time “on-call” or waiting, so whether they should be compensated for this time is a very important issue.

As Ohio employment lawyers, We receive calls nearly every day in which a potential client details what they believe to be a hostile work environment. Oftentimes, however, while the employee may work for a bad/rude boss, work in an unpleasant work environment, or work with a rude worker, each of these things likely does not meet the legal criteria for a hostile work environment.

Under the Federal Family and Medical Leave Act or the FMLA, employees are entitled to take leave from their employers to take care of themselves or immediate members of their families who may be suffering or recuperating from serious health conditions.

When it comes to sexual harassment in the workplace, there are several federal and state laws that protect employees from being on the receiving end of such harassment. In Ohio, sexual harassment is prohibited by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 4112.02 of the Ohio Revised Code, among others.

At Coffman Legal, we specialize in employment law, and our team is dedicated to providing you with unwavering support throughout each step of your legal journey, no matter the case at hand.

When it comes to sexual harassment in the workplace, there are several federal and state laws that protect employees from being on the receiving end of such harassment. In Ohio, sexual harassment is prohibited by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 4112.02 of the Ohio Revised Code, among others.

When it comes to having teenagers that are interested in pursuing their first job, you as a parent are going to be asking yourself whether or not they are at the right age where they can legally start working.

If you are leaving a position due to termination, you may be wondering about Ohio final paycheck laws and when your last paycheck will be disbursed. Unfortunately for Ohio employees, the state of Ohio does not have a statute in place that stipulates a business must immediately pay a person who is fired from a job. Instead, under Ohio Revised Code §4113.15, there is a semi-monthly rule in place.