Like individuals, every business is unique. With a complex landscape that includes evolving technology and an ever-changing fabric of state and federal laws, it can be tough to balance the best interests of a company with the people who help it function.
At DeBlasio Law Group LLC, we pride ourselves on being able to provide proactive and strategic advice to clients of all sizes, from entrepreneurial startups to large corporations, as well as their employees.
Whether you need help preparing an executive agreement, investigation into a labor matter, or litigation of a complex case, put our experienced team to work for you. To contact us to discuss your employment litigation matter confidentially, please get in touch with us at (630) 560-1123.
Types of Employment Litigation
At the heart of every business is a team of people, and disputes are bound to arise, especially when there are conflicting interests among the parties. The most common types of employment litigation we handle include:
– Discrimination
– Harassment
– Non-compete agreements and restrictive covenants
– Non-disclosure agreements
– Wage and benefits disputes
– Wrongful termination
– Defamation and slander litigation
– Non-compliance with federal government guidelines
Non-Compete Agreements
Businesses naturally want to protect something that took dedication and sacrifice to accomplish. If an employee or business partner leaves the business and begins or works for a competing business, it can create significant problems. Non-compete and non-solicitation agreements work to prevent a business from being harmed, but both employees and companies should be aware of what the agreements can entail and what a court will enforce.
Specifically, the Illinois Freedom to Work Act, which took effect in January 2022, has placed further restrictions on what types of employees can be subject to these agreements as well as new requirements that the employment contracts must contain to be enforceable.
Non-compete agreements provide a business with security against losing trade secrets or having clients poached; however, there are also considerations that must be made to allow a former employee or business owner to earn a living in their chosen field.
Whether you are the business owner or the employee, you will want to consult with an attorney before forming one of these agreements. If you already have an agreement in place and need to figure out how to move forward after the dissolution of employment or a partnership, contact us to discuss your next steps.
Wrongful Termination
If you were fired from your job for reasons that you believe are illegal, you may have grounds to file a wrongful termination lawsuit. Conversely, if you are an employer being faced with one of these claims, you’ll need legal counsel to help you navigate this issue.
Most individuals and businesses are aware that Illinois is an “at-will” employment state, which means that an employee can generally be fired for any or no reason. There are, however, exceptions that can make terminating an employee illegal, such as:
– Discrimination for race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, and religion
– Termination as a retaliatory measure for reporting unsafe or illegal behavior
– Violating the terms of an employee contract
– Violating a law or public policy
Contact an Illinois Employment Litigation Attorney
Employment law is a sensitive area where tensions and emotions can run high. Our goal is to achieve a reasonable solution to resolve a dispute as seamlessly as possible. To learn more about how we can help, contact us at (630) 560-1123.