New York based attorney Steven Sack is “The Employees Lawyer.” Attorney Sack discusses employee rights, workplace violations and employment law on both his blog and in his book The Employee Rights Handbook. For more information, call (917) 371-8000.
If you have been recently fired from a job and filed an unemployment claim, you may think that you at least have the silver lining of not needing to deal with your previous place of employment anymore. Unfortunately, your former employer can choose to contest your unemployment claim, denying you access to benefits. But what can you do if your employer chooses to contest your unemployment claim?
Continue reading “5 Steps To Take To Win An Unemployment Claim”
In less than a month, more than a tenth of the American workforce has been forced out of their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic. The job losses represent the single greatest increase in unemployment since the housing bubble burst in 2008, with jobless numbers expected to increase to as high as 20%. Despite some efforts by federal and state legislatures to curtail the effects, workers are feeling the job losses hard, and it’s not clear when people will be able to return to work. Continue reading “Ten Percent of American Workers File for Unemployment in Three Weeks”
Vox reported that employees of the department store Sears were let go after the retailer announced it was shutting down its stores. Many store associates were told they would receive an eight-week severance package, but, according to the article, after two weeks, the checks stopped coming after Sears announced it was filing for bankruptcy. Meanwhile, Sears executives were allowed to collect $25 million in bonuses after the filing, according to the Chicago Business Journal.
Continue reading “Workplace Closures and Severance Pay”
Seasonal employees are typically hired to work on a part-time basis for retailers that need extra help around the holiday season. These seasonal positions are a perfect way to provide employees the opportunity to earn extra income to pay for gifts, meals, and even bills. In addition, already employed workers may have the opportunity to receive a supplemental income, which may help to offset the extra money spent during the holiday seasons. Continue reading “Seasonal Hires Receive Many of the Same Labor Law Protections”
By now every employer, employee and individual is aware of the U.S. recession. Although the nation is in recovery, there are still consequences of the protracted recession. Due to the recession, employer contributions to the New York State Unemployment Insurance Fund have been insufficient to cover the benefits paid out to individuals. As a result, the Unemployment Insurance Fund is grossly underfunded, which has required New York to borrow $3.5 billion from the federal government. In order to repay this loan and avoid significant interest charges, New York has recently enacted a number of “reforms” that are expected to save the state $200 million.
Continue reading “Changes to New York Unemployment Insurance Law”
Many people who are fired forfeit valuable unemployment insurance benefits. This is because they do not know how to act or represent themselves properly at unemployment hearings. Many are told by unemployment personnel that a lawyer or other representative is not required and that preparation for the hearing is unnecessary. They then attend the hearing and are surprised to learn that the employer is represented by experienced counsel who has brought witnesses to testify against their version of the facts. Other people lose at the hearing because they do not know the purpose of their testimony or what they must prove to receive benefits.
For you to ensure you’re not one of the countless individuals that fall within this trap, it is crucial you get informed and know what is expected of you, and your rights.
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