Dedicated Employment Law Attorney Albany, New York

Standing Up for Employee Rights Against Powerful Employers

If you are up against an employer that has been stepping on your rights, you probably feel as if you have no hope of success. The power imbalance between employers and employees can be overwhelming, leaving many workers feeling helpless when facing workplace injustice. But you don’t have to fight these battles alone.

Do not give up without seeking legal recourse from an experienced Albany employment lawyer. Do not give up until you contact Finn Law Offices.

Finn Law Offices devotes its practice to fighting for the underdog. Our founding attorney, Ryan Finn, used to work for large law firms but left to establish our firm specifically to help employees stand up against employers who have violated their employment law rights.

Comprehensive Employment Law Services in Albany

There is no employment matter that our firm does not handle. With decades of experience representing employees throughout Albany and upstate New York, we provide knowledgeable, aggressive representation in all aspects of employment law, including:

• Wrongful termination and constructive discharge
• Workplace discrimination (age, race, gender, disability)
• Sexual harassment and hostile work environment claims
• Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) violations
• Wage and hour disputes, including overtime and misclassification
• Whistleblower protection and retaliation claims
• Noncompete agreements and restrictive covenants
• Severance agreement review and negotiation

Some employment law issues go on for weeks, months or years. You should not have to endure this yourself. Work with “Team Finn” to stand up for yourself.

Wrongful Termination: Challenging Unlawful Dismissals

While New York is an “at-will” employment state, terminations that violate statutory protections or contractual agreements may be unlawful. According to the New York State Department of Labor, employees cannot be terminated for discriminatory reasons, in retaliation for protected activities, or in violation of an employment contract.

Finn Law Offices represents clients whose terminations violated the law, including cases involving retaliatory discharge where employers terminate employees for exercising their legal rights, such as reporting workplace safety violations, filing workers’ compensation claims, taking legally protected leave, or participating in discrimination investigations.

Our wrongful termination law firm also addresses contract violations where terminations breach written employment agreements, employee handbook provisions, collective bargaining agreements, or implied covenants of good faith and fair dealing.

These wrongful termination cases require establishing complex connections between protected activities and adverse employment actions—an area where experienced legal representation is crucial. Our firm has successfully represented numerous Albany employees in securing compensation for illegal terminations.

Whistleblower Protection: Defending Those Who Speak Out

Employees reporting misconduct often face severe workplace consequences. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Whistleblower Protection Program enforces protections for employees who report violations of workplace laws.

As experienced Albany employment lawyers, our firm represents whistleblowers in cases involving False Claims Act violations where employees report fraud against government programs, including Medicare or Medicaid fraud, defense contractor overcharging, grant fund misappropriation, and tax evasion.

Our whistleblower practice extends to workplace safety and public health reporting of OSHA violations, environmental hazards, public health dangers, or transportation safety issues, as well as corporate fraud reporting protected under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and Dodd-Frank Act, which provide special protections for those who report securities violations and corporate misconduct.

These complex cases require careful documentation and strategic filing to maximize protection and potential rewards. Finn Law Offices guides whistleblowers through these specialized reporting procedures while protecting their careers and pursuing appropriate compensation.

Sexual Harassment: Creating Safe Workplaces

Sexual harassment remains a persistent workplace problem across industries. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission defines sexual harassment as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that affects employment conditions or creates a hostile work environment.

As Albany employment law attorneys, our firm represents clients experiencing quid pro quo harassment where employment benefits are contingent on submitting to unwelcome sexual advances, such as promotions offered in exchange for sexual favors or threats of termination for refusing advances.

We also handle hostile work environment situations involving persistent sexual jokes, comments, unwanted touching, or display of sexually explicit materials that create an intimidating workplace atmosphere. The consequences of workplace sexual harassment often include:

• Psychological distress, including anxiety, depression, and PTSD
• Career setbacks and lost professional opportunities
• Financial hardship from job loss or reduced hours
• Damage to professional reputation and relationships
• Physical health effects from prolonged stress

Recent changes to New York law have strengthened protections against all forms of sexual harassment, making it easier for victims to come forward. Our firm helps clients navigate the sensitive nature of these claims while pursuing appropriate remedies through the New York State Division of Human Rights or court action.

Visit our workplace discrimination page to learn more about how we handle sexual harassment claims.

Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) Violations

The Family and Medical Leave Act provides eligible employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year for specific family and medical reasons. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, employers must maintain employees’ health benefits during leave and restore employees to their same or equivalent positions afterward.

Common FMLA violations that our firm handles include interference with FMLA rights, such as denying legitimate leave requests, discouraging employees from taking leave, or failing to provide required notices about FMLA rights.

Our FMLA practice also addresses retaliation against employees for exercising FMLA rights, including termination, demotion, reduced hours, or less favorable assignments following leave, and failure to reinstate employees to the same or equivalent positions after leave, including changes in responsibilities, scheduling, or compensation.

New York State offers additional protections through the Paid Family Leave program, which Finn Law Offices helps clients navigate alongside federal FMLA requirements. Our experience with these overlapping regulations ensures employees receive all leave protections they deserve.

Workplace Discrimination: Protecting Your Right to Equal Treatment

Workplace discrimination continues to be a pervasive problem across New York State. As outlined by the Cornell Legal Information Institute, discrimination occurs when employers treat individuals differently based on protected characteristics rather than job performance or qualifications.

Age Discrimination

Workers over 40 frequently face age discrimination, particularly during economic downturns or company restructuring. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) prohibits discrimination against individuals 40 and older in all aspects of employment.

Many employers attempt to disguise age discrimination behind seemingly neutral policies like “culture fit” or targeting higher-paid senior employees during layoffs. Finn Law Offices knows how to uncover the true motivations behind these actions, helping older workers prove discrimination through careful analysis of employment patterns and management communications.

Disability Discrimination and Failure to Accommodate

The Americans with Disabilities Act requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations for qualified employees with disabilities unless doing so would create undue hardship. The New York State Human Rights Law provides even broader protections, covering more employers and requiring more extensive accommodations.

Our firm has extensive experience helping clients secure needed workplace accommodations while pursuing compensation for discriminatory treatment, including refusals to make accessible modifications, denial of flexible scheduling for medical treatment, or termination following disability disclosure.

Race Discrimination

Despite clear legal protections, race discrimination remains a significant workplace issue. This discrimination can manifest as hiring biases, unequal promotion opportunities, hostile work environments, or wrongful termination based on racial prejudice.

As experienced Albany employment attorneys, our legal team investigates these claims thoroughly, gathering evidence of disparate treatment and building compelling cases for compensation. Our approach includes detailed analysis of workplace demographics, treatment patterns, and management communications that reveal underlying discrimination.

Gender & Pregnancy Discrimination

Gender discrimination includes unequal treatment based on gender identity, expression, or pregnancy status. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act and New York State Human Rights Law prohibit adverse employment actions based on pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.

Finn Law Offices represents clients facing issues like pay disparities between men and women, denial of promotions based on gender stereotypes, adverse actions following pregnancy announcements, and failure to provide reasonable pregnancy accommodations.

Learn more about how we handle discrimination cases on our workplace discrimination page.

Wage & Hour Violations: Fighting for Fair Compensation

Wage theft and hour violations are among the most common workplace issues affecting Albany workers. The New York State Department of Labor enforces state wage laws, which often provide greater protections than federal standards.

Our firm handles cases involving minimum wage and overtime violations where employers pay below minimum wage, misclassify employees as “exempt” to avoid overtime, require off-the-clock work, or manipulate time records.

Our wage and hour practice also addresses employee misclassification, where workers are incorrectly labeled as independent contractors to avoid providing benefits and protections, despite employer control over their work, as well as unpaid commissions and bonuses, where employers change commission structures retroactively, terminate employees before payouts, or create impossible conditions for bonus eligibility.

These violations often affect multiple employees, sometimes warranting class action litigation to recover wages for all affected workers. Finn Law Offices’ understanding of complex wage and hour regulations helps ensure Albany workers receive all compensation they’ve legally earned.

Noncompete Agreements and Restrictive Covenants

Increasingly, employers use restrictive covenants to limit employees’ post-employment options. As employment law attorneys in Albany, our firm helps clients with challenges to overly broad non-compete agreements that may be unenforceable under New York law.

Whether you’re negotiating a new agreement or challenging an existing one, skilled legal guidance is essential to protect your career mobility. Visit our noncompete agreements page to learn more about how we handle these complex cases.

The Employment Law Process: What to Expect

When working with Finn Law Offices on your employment matter, you can expect a thorough, strategic approach that begins with a comprehensive review of your situation. The typical process for pursuing an employment law claim includes:

• Initial consultation to evaluate your case and explain your rights
• Investigation and evidence gathering to support your claims
• Administrative filings with appropriate government agencies when required
• Negotiation with employers and their attorneys for a potential settlement
• Litigation through the court system if a fair resolution cannot be reached

Many employment claims require filing with government agencies before proceeding to court, including EEOC charges, New York State Division of Human Rights complaints, Department of Labor wage claims, or unemployment insurance hearings. Our legal team guides clients through these administrative processes, ensuring deadlines are met and rights are fully presented.

While most employment cases resolve through negotiated settlements, when employers refuse fair compensation, litigation becomes necessary. Throughout this process, our firm provides aggressive representation while keeping clients informed and involved in critical decisions.

Why Choose Finn Law Offices for Your Employment Law Matter

When choosing an employment law attorney in Albany, experience and approach matter. Finn Law Offices offers distinct advantages:

Former Big Firm Experience

Having previously worked for large law firms representing employers, our founding attorney understands how employers and their attorneys think. This insider knowledge provides anticipation of defense strategies, understanding of corporate decision-making processes, and recognition of case strengths and vulnerabilities. This experience enables more effective case preparation and negotiation strategies.

Personalized Attention

Unlike large firms where clients become case numbers, at Finn Law Offices, our legal team personally handles your case. You receive direct, regular communication about progress, and your specific goals and concerns shape the legal strategy. This personalized approach ensures your employment case receives the attention and customization it deserves.

To learn more about our firm’s qualifications and approach, visit our about us page.

Results-Focused Representation

Employment law matters directly impact your career, finances, and well-being. At Finn Law Offices, our focus remains on achieving meaningful results, including maximum compensation for workplace injustice, policy changes to prevent future violations, career protection when possible, and accountability for employer misconduct.

Explore our testimonials page to see how we’ve helped other Albany employees secure justice in employment matters.

Contact the Experienced Employment Lawyers at Finn Law Offices

No worker should have to experience discrimination, unfair pay or any other violation of their rights. Our firm is ready to get justice as swiftly as possible. To request an initial consultation about our services, please call our Albany office at 518-757-9548. You can also contact us online to reach us through our website.

Don’t face workplace injustice alone. Contact Albany’s trusted employment law firm, Finn Law Offices today and take the first step toward protecting your rights and career.