Practice Area —

Employees

Segal Roitman has been fighting for workers for more than 50 years. Our employment practice is focused exclusively on the representation of employees and our attorneys have expertise in handling all types of workplace issues. We are dedicated to helping our clients understand their legal rights in the workplace, navigate workplace disputes, challenge discriminatory and unfair practices, and negotiate fair contracts. Wherever you are in your job or career, we are here to help.

We target three strategic areas: Client Counseling, Negotiations, and Litigation.

Client Counseling

Know Your Rights and Options

Employment relationships can be difficult to navigate and even more challenging as disagreements arise and tensions escalate. Employees are routinely told that they are employed “at will,” with few rights or protections. We are here to help you understand your legal rights, advise you on your options, and decide the best course of action to protect your career and well-being.

Our client counseling services include:

Legal Consultations

In your first meeting with one of our lawyers, we will listen to your story, advise you about your rights, and make recommendations about strategies. Understanding the potential risks and outcomes of any employment decision is crucial, whether you are considering filing a lawsuit or having a difficult conversation with your boss or HR department. We can help you assess possible risks, weigh the pros and cons of different approaches, and predict potential challenges.

Contract Review and Restrictive Covenants

Employment contracts are increasingly complex. It is critical that you understand any employment document you are asked to sign, whether it is an initial employment agreement or a severance agreement. It is commonplace for employers to include non-competition, non-solicitation, and non-disclosure provisions in employment contracts. In Massachusetts, many such restrictions are unlawful or unenforceable. Wherever you are in your career, we can help you understand and protect your rights, provide strategic guidance for contract negotiations, and negotiate contracts on your behalf to help you get the best deal possible.

Navigating Reasonable Accommodations

Dispute Prevention and Resolution

Often the best way to solve a problem is to avoid it in the first place. Our team can help you anticipate workplace issues by identifying early warning signs and providing proactive solutions. If a dispute has already arisen, we can help resolve the conflict before it escalates into a major legal battle or results in an adverse employment action. Where resolution is not possible, we can engage in litigation on your behalf.

Negotiations

Maximize your leverage

Whether you are starting a new job, renegotiating terms and conditions of your employment, or facing a layoff or termination, we can help protect your rights and negotiate favorable contract terms. Our firm has nearly three hundred years of collective experience negotiating with employers on behalf of our clients. We have represented employees in nearly every industry and at every level—from the shop floor to the boardroom. We understand the competing interests at play in employment matters, and we know how to make the most of your bargaining power.

Our negotiation services include:

Employment Contract Review and Negotiations

Reasonable Accommodations and Leave

Federal and state laws entitle employees to certain disability-, medical-, and family-related rights in the workplace. These laws include the right to receive a reasonable accommodation for a disability, pregnancy accommodations and nursing rights in the workplace, and rights to paid and unpaid family and medical leave. We specialize in helping employees understand these rights, navigate the process of requesting an accommodation, and negotiating on behalf of our clients to secure these rights and benefits from their employer.

Executive Compensation

Severance Negotiations

Workplace Investigations

Mediation and Arbitration

Our negotiation services are rooted in the commitment to defend and uphold your rights, securing outcomes that honor your contributions, and ensure equitable treatment at every stage of your career.

Litigation

Fighting for Justice and Accountability in the Workplace

Workplace justice means that every employee is treated fairly, equitably, and in alignment with their legal rights. All employees have the right to work in an environment free from discrimination, unlawful harassment, retaliation, and threats to their personal safety and health. All employees have the right to receive the wages and benefits they have earned. Segal Roitman has decades of experience vindicating these rights for our clients and ensuring that employers who engage in unlawful practices are held accountable. We litigate cases in state and federal courts and before administrative agencies such as the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. We also represent employees in arbitrations and mediations.

We have expertise in all areas of employment litigation:

Discrimination and Harassment Claims

Discrimination, sexual harassment, and harassment based on other protected characteristics (including race, gender, disability, gender identity, and all other categories protected by law) are illegal and have no place in any work environment. Segal Roitman has been helping employees vindicate claims of discrimination and harassment for more than 50 years. We understand just how pernicious workplace discrimination and harassment can be to the lives of its victims. Whether you have been subjected to unfair treatment, unwanted advances, or a hostile work environment, we are dedicated to fighting for you while handling your claims with the utmost compassion.

Wrongful Termination, Retaliation, and Whistleblower Protections

Employees may not be fired or disciplined for exercising their legal rights, such as reporting illegal activities, requesting accommodations, or engaging in protected activities like whistleblowing or taking family or medical leave under the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Act or the FMLA. If you’ve been wrongfully terminated or retaliated against for standing up for your rights, we will fight to hold your employer accountable.

Wage Theft and Equal Pay Claims

Every worker has the right to be paid on time for all hours they work. We represent employees in claims related to unpaid wages and misclassification as independent contractors to hold employers accountable when they engage in wage violations. Gender pay inequity and other discriminatory pay practices also continue to be a major issue in the workplace. We advocate for employees who have experienced wage disparities based on sex, race, or other protected characteristics.

Disability Discrimination and Accommodation Claims

Breach of Contract Claims

SEGAL ROITMAN, LLP