For many Tennessee employees, working more than 40 hours per week entitles them to overtime pay. These overtime wages can add up, making the hours spent away from home, friends, and family financially worthwhile. But what happens if your workplace does not compensate you fairly? You have legal options if your employer owes you overtime but won’t pay. A Tennessee wage law and overtime lawyer with the Employment and Commerce Law Group can help you pursue your unpaid wages. Tennessee Overtime Laws Tennessee’s employment laws do not address overtime pay. Instead, the federal Fair Labor Standards A ..read more

Statistics show that 80 percent of working women have a child during their lifetime. Pregnancy comes with immeasurable rewards but also health risks. Until recently, certain employment laws failed to protect working mothers sufficiently. The new Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PFWA) fills in the gaps.   How Have Pregnancy Employment Laws Changed? The PWFA expands protections afforded to pregnant workers through existing laws like the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 (PDA). The PDA prohibits workplace discrimination against women and job applicants who are pregnant or have a pregnancy-r ..read more

Federal and Tennessee laws prevent employers from discriminating against workers based on their religious beliefs or customs. These laws also require employers to make reasonable accommodations so employees can observe their chosen spiritual practices. Despite these guaranteed protections, employers sometimes break the rules. If you’re in Nashville and believe you have been discriminated against based on your religion, the religious discrimination lawyers at The Employment and Commerce Law Group can help.  What is Religious Discrimination? Religious discrimination occurs when you are trea ..read more

Has your employer mistreated you due to your age? Were you passed over for a position or advancement? If so, you may have the right to seek financial compensation and other relief for what you’ve endured. A Nashville age discrimination lawyer can help you pursue your legal options under state and federal discrimination laws. What Is Age Discrimination?  Tennessee and federal law define age discrimination as when a worker age 40 or older suffers adverse or disparate treatment in any aspect of employment, such as hiring, firing, promotions, job assignments, training, pay, or benefits. Age d ..read more

Discriminating against employees and prospective employees isn’t just unethical — thanks to state and federal laws, it’s often illegal. Anti-discrimination laws extend to all aspects of employment, from the initial recruitment and interviewing processes through compensation and benefits to disciplinary actions and termination. When an employer violates a Tennessean’s rights based on a protected trait or demographic character, that person can file a claim for workplace discrimination. Types of Workplace Discrimination The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) defines different typ ..read more

Discriminating against employees and prospective employees isn’t just unethical — thanks to state and federal laws, it’s often illegal. Anti-discrimination laws extend to all aspects of employment, from the initial recruitment and interviewing processes through compensation and benefits to disciplinary actions and termination. When an employer violates a Tennessean’s rights based on a protected trait or demographic character, that person can file a claim for workplace discrimination. Types of Workplace Discrimination The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) defines different typ ..read more

As a Tennessee employee, you may wonder whether you are entitled to a meal break during your job shift. The answer is yes. State law permits you to have a meal break at work during a qualifying shift. Your employer must allow you to take scheduled meal breaks during which you are relieved of your work duties. Employers may owe fines and penalties for violating the law. Furthermore, state and federal laws prohibit employers from retaliating against you for asserting your right to meal breaks. Am I Entitled to Meal and Rest Breaks in Tennessee? According to the Tennessee Department of Labor & ..read more

Learning you lost or are about to lose your job can be shocking. But can your employer fire you on your day off? Unfortunately, the answer to this question is usually yes. In Tennessee, your employer can fire you at any time for almost any reason unless they violate state or federal anti-discrimination laws. But knowing whether your employer violated the law can be difficult unless you know how the relevant labor laws might apply to your case. If you believe you were wrongfully terminated, the Tennessee employment lawyers at the Employment and Consumer Law Group can determine whether your boss ..read more

Recent polls suggest that up to 50 percent of the U.S. workforce is mentally withdrawing from work in a phenomenon dubbed “quiet quitting.” If you’re stepping back from your career because you’re feeling burnt out, underappreciated, or underpaid, you might be wondering whether quiet quitting could get you in disciplinary trouble or lead to termination. What is Quiet Quitting? Quiet quitting refers to an employee gradually disengaging from their job responsibilities without formally quitting or informing their employer of their intention to scale back. Due to the seismic shift in work cult ..read more

Reporting fraud against the government can be a frightening prospect. You know you should notify the proper authorities of someone’s illegal activity. However, you might also worry about your employer retaliating against you and costing you your job. You shouldn’t suffer professional consequences for doing the right thing. Fortunately, you have rights under the law, and an experienced whistleblower attorney can protect you as you expose the wrongdoing of others. Your choice of an attorney is an important one. You should understand the laws and what’s at stake before making a decision. Keep rea ..read more