Ohio Employment Contracts Legal Questions

This practice would likely violate the Fair Labor Standards Act which limits tip pooling and tip sharing. I would encourage you to contact our office for a free consultation. We represent tipped employees throughout Ohio with wage issues. There is a chance that there are other unlawful pay practices also occuring.    Ohio FLSA tipped wage lawyer http://mcoffmanlegal.com/practice-areas/wages-and-overtime/ohio-tipped-employee-wage-issues-attorney/... Read Answer

You need to speak with an unpaid wages attorney about your former employer's refusal to pay you what you have earned. Our office offers free consultations and works on a contingency fee.   Ohio FLSA unpaid wages lawyer http://mcoffmanlegal.com/practice-areas/wages-and-overtime/ohio-unpaid-wages-attorney/... Read Answer

No. This violates Ohio and federal laws requiring that employees be paid at least minimum wage for all hours worked. Feel free to contact our office for a free consultation with an Ohio unpaid wages attorney. If your employer works in this manner, there is the potential for other unpaid wages.   Ohio unpaid wages lawyer http://mcoffmanlegal.com/practice-areas/wages-and-overtime/unpaid-wages-and-unpaid-overtime-attorney-columbus-ohio/    ... Read Answer

You should contact an attorney to discuss your rights to compensation. This is likely time he should be compensated for. Contact our office for a free consultation.    Ohio wage and hour lawyer http://mcoffmanlegal.com/practice-areas/wages-and-overtime/minimum-wage-issues-attorney-columbus-ohio/... Read Answer

First, absent a contract which limits the employer's right to terminate an employee, or a termination for a reason prohibited by statute (e.g. race, religion, etc.), an employer can terminate an employee at any time for any reason.  Second, the employee breached his duty of loyalty to his employer by taking the employer's property and profiting from it.  Had the employee not done this, the employer could have resold those goods and made the profit, or donated them to charity and gotten a tax write off.  I believe the employer is well within its rights in demanding the profits the employee made on his/her sale of the employer's property, and it would likely be awarded this amount if it sued the employee.... Read Answer

If a background check was involved, I would encourage you to speak with an attorney who handles background checks. Our firm handles such cases, handls such cases, and works on a contingency fee.    Ohio background check attorney http://mcoffmanlegal.com/background-check-attorney-ohio-fcra/... Read Answer

You should contact an employment attorney to discuss the termination. If a background check was run, then there are specific rules the employer needs to follow. Our office handles background check and wrongful termination cases.   Ohio background check attorney http://mcoffmanlegal.com/background-check-attorney-ohio-fcra/... Read Answer

Your employer can decide to let you go before the end of your two weeks. However, the failure to pay you properly and/or in a timely manner may be an issue. Feel free to contact my office for a free consultation.   Ohio wage and hour attorney http://mcoffmanlegal.com/unpaid-wages-and-unpaid-overtime-attorney/... Read Answer

It's not likely you would collect unemployment. Hostile work environments under the law are not based on general hostility, but the hostility must be based on your age, race, gender, disability, etc. While the environment sounds hostile, it is not a legally protected hostile work environment. If you want to do something about it, complanit to HR. If they retaliate against you by terminating you then you will be more likely to receive unemployment.   Ohio hostile work environment attorney www.mcoffmanlegal.com... Read Answer

This sounds like it may be a case of pregnancy discrimination. You should call my office or another attorney to discuss your employment and termination. My firm represents employees throughout Ohio. Feel free to call for a free consultation at 1-614-949-1181. You can also find information about pregnancy discrimination here   Ohio pregnancy discrimination attorney www.mcoffmanlegal.com... Read Answer

As you noted, the at-will employment doctrine means that either party to an employment agreement can terminate the agreement, with or without cause, with or without notice.  Since there is no written agreement concerning the relocations costs, you are under no obligation to pay it back.  However, if your conscious tells you that paying back some of the money is the right thing to do, by all means - do it.  Even though the new employer may not "sue" you for the proceeds, they could certainly give you a bad reference.  Your reputation may be at stake. ... Read Answer

Assuming you do not have a union contract, there is no law that requires your company to pay severance pay.  If the company is offering a severance package to employees who are laid-off, this is a decision the company has made.  Usually, such packages are only offered if the employee signs a release and promises not to sue the company.  ... Read Answer

You indicated that your former employer is telling "everyone" about why you quit your job and wonder whether they can get in trouble for that.   Usually, when an employee chooses to resign, rather than be terminated, they are doing so in order to avoid the embarrassment of termination and more importantly, the negative employment references. Unfortunately, unless you get that in writing, there is no guarantee of privacy or of a positive reference. Defamation (slander) occurs when someone communicates false information about you that damages your reputation.  Truth is an absolute defense.  So, as long as your former employer is telling the truth, there is probably not much you can do.    ... Read Answer

Yes.  If you feel that you should be paid more, you are free to try to negotiate a higher salary or to quit your job, but absent (a) a contract which specifies what you must be paid; (b) violation of minimum wage laws; or (c) discrimination in wages based on prohibited characteristic (i.e. race, gender, religion, etc.), your employer is not obligated to keep your compensation the same going forward.... Read Answer

No. Your wife must be paid at least minimum wage for her labor. Otherwise, she is entitled to her unpaid wages, additional damages, and attorney's fees. Feel free to contact my office for a free consultation. We represent employees throughout the state of Ohio.   Ohio wage and hour lawyer www.mcoffmanlegal.com ... Read Answer

The Family Medical Leave Act is a federal law that applies to employers in Ohio and throughout the United States.  The FMLA requires employers (with 50 or more employees) to grant employees 12 weeks of unpaid leave.  Employees are eligible for leave if they have been employed by the employer for 12 months and worked 1250 hours.  Leave may be taken for the birth of a child and to care for the newborn child; the placement of a child for adoption or foster care and to care for the newly placed child within one year of placement;to care for a family member with a serious health condition; the employee's own serious health condition makes the employee unable to perform the functions of his or her job; or certain reasons related to the military service of the employee’s family member.  Whether or not the company has implemented a policy, they are required to follow the law.... Read Answer