Below is an article I wrote about important questions a client should ask when hiring an attorney. I submitted the draft article to a business magazine, so the examples are written for the perspective of an employer-client who is seeking an attorney, rather than that of an employee-client. However, the questions and recommendations apply equally well to an employee-client, or to any client seeking legal representation for any legal matter (employment law, tax law, real estate, etc. etc.).
Important Questions to Ask When Hiring an Attorney
Employee Tip: Important Questions to Ask When Hiring an Attorney
Filed under Employee Tip - Hiring an Attorney
Employee Tip: Reducing Problems at Work Relating to Your Medical Condition
People with medical conditions often have unique requirements or problems arise at work. You should consider the following things to reduce the risk of problems.
Please note this post does not provide legal advice- if you want legal advice, you should contact an attorney and discuss your specific circumstances. If you are interested in legal assistance from attorney-author Michael Brown or his law firm DVG Law Partner for your matter, please contact them here:
Filed under Employee Tip - Problems at Job
Employee Tip: Things to Consider When Your Employer/Boss Starts to Treat You Badly
If your employer/boss is treating you unfairly, you should consider doing the following:
(1) DOCUMENT what is going on. Keep a journal with names & dates & descriptions of what occurred. Save copies of important documents and witness statements. If you make complaints, make them in writing/email and save a copy (expect that management or HR will later “not recall” the spoken complaints you made).
(2) COMMUNICATE SMARTLY. Before communicating, consider the potential risk of retaliation versus the potential benefit of communicating about your problem. Communicate politely to a reasonable person who could make a difference. Do not gossip. Do not march up to your harassing boss and lecture him or her about your rightness.
(3) PROACTIVELY ARRANGE FOR “PLAN B.” Apply for new jobs or otherwise make arrangements to cushion any blows that you can see coming.
(4) DON’T “RESIGN” OR SIGN ANYTHING IF PRESSURED TO DO SO. If your employer tries to force you to resign, you should strongly consider NOT doing so. If you resign your job, that may eliminate your chances to receive unemployment benefits, and may hurt your ability to bring several legal claims. If the employer pressures you to sign a resignation notice (especially one that includes a statement “admitting” severe misconduct), this is often NOT in your interest, and the employer will often fire you anyway, despite their claims to the contrary. If you are asked to resign and presented with a severance agreement, the terms of that severance may or may not be worth signing. But the employer should allow you some time to review the severance agreement (or to review any document for that matter) before asking you to sign it.
I get several phone calls a day from fired employees who didn’t do the things above. And I can’t blame them- these tips require anticipating bad behavior from others, which is something that good people do not like to do. However, when you are being treated unfairly, it is important you assess and address the situation proactively. Taking the ounce-of-prevention approaches above can reduce the risks of harms and help prepare for a legal claim in case it ever comes to that.
Please note this post does not provide legal advice- if you want legal advice, you should contact an attorney and discuss your specific circumstances. If you are interested in legal assistance from attorney-author Michael Brown or his law firm DVG Law Partner for your matter, please contact them here:
Filed under Employee Tip - Problems at Job
Dark Side, Schmark Side
I disagree with the many employee-side attorneys (most of whom are great folks) who I’ve heard refer to employers and their attorneys as the “Dark Side.” I know why this is said. Employee-side attorneys get frustrated with bad tactics we sometimes (albeit repeatedly) observe from some opponents: the hiding of information, the game-playing (e.g. musical-chairs with decision-makers and reasons for termination), the deponents’ “I-can’t-recalls” and the periodic bald-faced lie. I see these things too.
Filed under Philosophy - Employee Rights
Employee Tip: Preparing for Mediation at the Equal Rights Division
If you have a discrimination complaint at the Equal Rights Division (ERD) and are scheduled for mediation (settlement discussions), you can prepare in the following ways to improve your chances of reaching a favorable settlement. While the information below is tailored to ERD proceedings, it should be useful for EEOC mediation and other types of mediation and/or settlement negotiations.
Please note this post does not provide legal advice- if you want legal advice, you should contact an attorney and discuss your specific circumstances. If you are interested in legal assistance from attorney-author Michael Brown for your matter, you can contact Mr. Brown and his law firm DVG Law Partner here:
Filed under Employee Tip - Preparing for Mediation
Employee Tip: FAQs of Workers With Unpaid Wages
The article below answers three common questions of workers who have unpaid wages.
Three FAQs of Wisconsin Workers With Unpaid Wages
Filed under Employee Tips - Unpaid Wages
Welcome; About the Blog
Welcome to the Employee Rights Wisconsin blog. The blog will provide: (1) information to Employees (especially Wisconsin employees) about their legal rights; and (2) information to Attorneys and others who are interested in employee rights, client rights and legal practice management issues.
My name is Michael Brown, and I am an attorney at the law firm of DVG Law Partner LLC. I represent employees in employment law matters. I assist employees with matters concerning:
| Unpaid Wages | Visa Worker Fraud | Discrimination & Harassment |
| Contracts (Including Severances, Non-Competes) | Shareholder & Executive Disputes | Wrongful Discharge and Retaliation |
| Class Actions | Whistleblowing | Unemployment Benefits |
I have represented hundreds of employees with diverse jobs, backgrounds, and nationalities. My clients have included entry-level workers, visa workers, and professionals and executives from large organizations.
You can contact me here:
Filed under About the Blog, Welcome
WI Employee Rights Lawyer: Severance, Wages, Job Termination, Discrimination 