Nashville Labor and Employment Attorney

Employment Law Attorney

Thompson Burton’s labor and employment attorneys represent companies and individuals in resolving work-related disputes. We thoroughly understand all details of Tennessee labor laws as well as federal employment laws, including the Family Medical Leave Act, Equal Employment Opportunity Laws, and the Fair Labor Standards Act. We provide clients with litigation defense or avoidance, whether they are employees or business executives. Our attorneys also review employment contracts and other documentation to ensure business owners meet all legal requirements.

Employee Discrimination Cases

If you face discrimination from your employer, contact us. We are dedicated to defending Tennessee employees who experience wrongful treatment at work. Employee discrimination is illegal as stated by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, whether it is due to gender, race, religion, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, or age discrimination in the workplace. You are entitled to your employee rights, including the right against discrimination.

Family Medical Leave Act Violations

The Family Medical Leave Act protects covered employers and eligible employees who provide and receive family medical leave. Employees who qualify for the Family Medical Leave Act receive up to 12 weeks of unpaid time off with the continuation of group health benefits. Upon returning to work, individuals resume their job or begin an equivalent role. Violating these policies, whether as an employer refusing benefits or an employee wrongly obtaining leave, is illegal and will result in repercussions.

Fair Pay Disputes

The Fair Labor Standards Act is in place to ensure that all employees receive correct pay. When employers fail to pay overtime compensation, wrongly classify individuals as exempt, or do not provide agreed-upon wages, they violate the Fair Labor Standards Act and can face lawsuits. If you believe you’re receiving unfair pay, our labor and employment attorneys will proudly represent you.

Contact Us for Labor and Employment Law Services

Our employment lawyers at Thompson Burton serve residents throughout the state of Tennessee. If you have any questions about your employee rights, state or federal employment laws, or need representation for litigation, don’t hesitate to contact our law firm. We have extensive experience in labor and employment law and are dedicated to serving our community.

DOL Mandatory Posters – HR’s Version of the Mona Lisa

By Jennifer Lankford, August 17 2016

Share13

13 Shares

The Mona Lisa certainly has more of a following than the DOL posters, but just as the Mona Lisa is a must-see, DOL posters are a must-have. On August 1, 2016, the DOL updated its mandatory posters for both the Federal Minimum Wage poster and the Employee Polygraph Protection Act poster. The wage poster has been revised to include a section on the rights of nursing mothers to receive reasonable break time to express breast milk, as well as new information on the consequences of incorrectly classifying workers as independent contractors. Civil monetary penalty limits have been removed from both posters, and the EPPA poster alters the toll-free phone number for employee reports of violations. To stay compliant, human resource personnel and business owners should be sure that the newest versions of these posters are immediately displayed in the workplace. To make your jobs a little easier, I have provided […]

Tennessee Employers: Deadline to Amend Signs Prohibiting Firearms in Workplace

By Jennifer Lankford, August 9 2016

Share12

12 Shares

Tennessee law permits employers and business owners to prohibit employees and customers/clients from bringing firearms and weapons onto company premises, even when the individual has an otherwise valid carry permit. However, to effectuate this prohibition, employers and business owners must comply with the notice requirements of Tennessee statutory law, Tennessee Code Annotated section 39-17-1359(b), which was recently amended by Governor Haslam. Under Tennessee law, an employer or business owner is authorized to prohibit the possession of firearms or weapons on company premises, so long as certain requirements are met. These requirements are as follows: The employer/business owner must post a sign that includes the phrase “NO FIREARMS ALLOWED” in English. The sign must be at least one inch high and eight inches wide. The sign must include a visual representation – a circle with a diagonal line over a firearm. The diagonal line must be at a 45 degree angle from the upper left to the […]

Maternity Leave and Paternity Leave: What to Expect When Your Employees are Expecting?

By Jennifer Lankford, July 19 2016

Share5

5 Shares

Once the daycare arrangements are made and a copy of “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” lands soundly on the nightstand, the next call is to HR – “What maternity/paternity leave am I entitled to?” I get many questions from business owners anxious to be sure that they are providing the appropriate amount of leave to their employees. Below, I tackle some of the most common questions on maternity/paternity leave posed to me: What maternity/paternity leave are employees entitled to? Well, unless you are Netflix (one year leave!) – the types of maternity/paternity leave an employer must offer depends on the size of the business and the laws of the particular state. As it pertains to federal law, employers with 50 or more employees must afford their employees with medical leave as guaranteed by the Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”). Under the FMLA, an eligible employee is entitled to up to 12 weeks of […]

DOL Overtime Rule Released – HR/Business Owners, Are You Ready?

By Jennifer Lankford, May 18 2016

0 Shares

It. is. here. You have read my blogs on this topic for almost one year and last night, the Department of Labor made good on its promise. The “Final Rule to Update the Regulations Defining and Delimiting the Exemption for Executive, Administrative, and Professional Employees” was released. Here is what you need to know: 1. The “Salary Level” Test Changed. Prior to the Final Rule, an employee meeting the requisite duties tests for the White Collar Exemptions could be classified as exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act, and thereby, not covered by the Act’s overtime and minimum wage requirements if the employee was paid $455 per week ($23,660 annually). Under the Final Rule, to retain the exemption, such employees must be paid $913 per week or $47,476 annually. This threshold is lower that the DOL’s proposed salary threshold of $50,440. Importantly, the Salary Level test was also changed to allow employers […]

Labor & Employment