An employment attorney’s work effectively begins after you have filed an administrative complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or the Illinois Department of Human Rights. However, we want you to be informed before you commit to a legal course of action. This is why we offer a free initial consultation. If you have concerns about your employment rights, the Law Office of Michael T. Smith & Associates can help you make more informed decisions.
For example, if you are still employed, there may be ways to document the different treatment your employer affords to employees who are not in your protected category. It may also be strategic to report the discrimination to your company’s human resources department. Although you may fear the consequences of coming forward, you will have created documentation of your allegations. These proactive steps may pay off if we later take the deposition of your employer.
In preparing for your first meeting with the Law Office of Michael T. Smith & Associates, we recommend bringing as much relevant documentation as possible. That will help us as we offer our impressions of your case and discuss potential legal theories. You may be able to bring a claim under more than one employment law, alleging multiple or alternative theories of liability. The type of employment claim may also influence our strategy, especially if pain and suffering, as well as punitive damages, can be pursued against your employer. Some employment discrimination claims allow for punitive damages; others, like age discrimination claims, may not.
We also explain our firm’s fee arrangement at that meeting. If you file an employment lawsuit and prevail, your employer typically must pay for your attorney’s fees, up to a 30 percent contingency. However, that reimbursement generally does not include our retainer, the upfront fee we require after your initial consultation in order to start working on your case.
Attorney Michael T. Smith has the experience to protect employees facing discrimination in the workplace. If you have questions about your rights as an employee,
call (847) 466-1099 for a free initial consultation. You can also use our online contact form.
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