OVER
recovered for our employment law cases
Starting a new job is a big accomplishment. Amidst the excitement of onboarding for a new role, it’s important to remember to protect your rights and interests as a new employee. Virtually any highly specialized job will require signing an employment contract as part of the hiring process. Fully understanding the employment contract’s terms is key to protecting your rights and ensuring you receive fair treatment at your new job.
Table of Contents
- Why Should I Work With the Employment Contract Attorneys at Joseph & Norinsberg?
- What Is an Employment Contract?
- Why Do Employment Contracts Need To Be Reviewed?
- Why Should I Trust the Employment Contract Attorneys at Joseph & Norinsberg?
- Which Types of Employment Clauses Are Important To Review?
- Why Do I Need a New York Employment Contract Lawyer?
- Contact Joseph & Norinsberg for Your Employment Law Cases
Why Should I Work With the Employment Contract Attorneys at Joseph & Norinsberg?
You need a reliable New York employment contract lawyer when accepting a new job in New York City. The attorneys at Joseph & Norinsberg have over 100 years of collective legal experience representing workers. We focus on fighting for clients who have experienced workplace discrimination, sexual harassment, and labor violations. We have extensive knowledge of the constantly evolving area of employment law and a deep understanding of how these laws impact employees and job applicants.
Our lawyers are strongly committed to protecting the rights of employees and preventing mistreatment at work. We’re proud of our high success rate and the results we’ve secured for clients, including:
$1.25 Million
Settlement
Failure to Accommodate and Discrimination – Verdict against an international biotech company
$1 Million
Settlement
Failure to Accommodate & Wrongful Termination – Settlement Against a Hospital
$350,000
Settlement
Unlawful Surveillance at Work – We obtained emotional distress damages for four individuals who suffered from illegal workplace surveillance under New York labor laws.
What Is an Employment Contract?
An employment contract is an agreement between an employer and a new employee who accepts a job offer. These contracts lay out the terms of employment, including information such as your starting pay rate, benefits, job responsibilities, the length of fixed-term employment, if applicable, and other conditions.
Generally, employment contracts contain legal language designed to protect the employer. However, they also protect the rights of the employee.
For employees, contracts define expectations, increase job stability, and help resolve conflicts between the employer and employee. An employment contract provides certain guaranteed terms and can serve as leverage in negotiations over salary and other benefits.
For employers, employment contracts are critical to protect corporate interests during and after an employee’s tenure. Such contracts often include clauses known as restrictive covenants, which prevent a new employee from sharing certain information, competing against the company, or otherwise acting against the employer’s interest.
While New York law does not prohibit restrictive covenants, the clauses must be clear and specific to be enforceable. If a restrictive covenant in a given contract is ambiguous or too broad, a court may find it unenforceable.
Why Do Employment Contracts Need To Be Reviewed?
It’s always important for a new employee to thoroughly read over their employment contract. Before agreeing to the terms and conditions of your employment, you must know what you’re agreeing to do and what guardrails are in place to protect your rights.
Being aware of the terms of your contract also helps you stay alert for potential violations of those terms. If your employer violates the terms they agreed to in the contract, such as firing you for a reason other than the conditions for termination you agreed to, you can file a lawsuit against them.
Why Should I Trust the Employment Contract Attorneys at Joseph & Norinsberg?
Our relentless work ethic, exceptional trial skills, and empathy for each and every client make us the right employment contract attorneys for you. We’re not afraid to take on large corporations that other firms shy away from. We genuinely care about protecting our clients from mistreatment and seeking justice for wronged employees.
You can rely on our attorneys to build a strong case and fight hard for your rights. Our many satisfied clients can attest to our success.
Which Types of Employment Clauses Are Important To Review?
There are certain specific clauses to watch for when signing an employment contract. These parts are particularly important because they cover how sensitive information is handled, the conditions under which your employment may be terminated, and other important aspects of a job that can have serious legal consequences.
Noncompete Clause
A noncompete clause is an agreement that you will not compete with your current employer after you leave the company, including working for a company in the same field or starting your own company.
Noncompete clauses can have major impacts on an employee’s career after leaving a certain company. This is especially true for employees with specific professional specializations, effectively preventing them from finding work in the field for which they are trained.
Such clauses are legal but not always enforceable. A New York employment contract attorney can help you challenge a noncompete clause that shuts you out of your career.
Nonsolicitation Clause
A nonsolicitation clause is an agreement not to solicit clients of your current employer after you leave the company. These clauses differ from noncompete clauses in that they don’t prevent you from starting a business in the same field or working for a competitor company. Rather, they require that you do not recruit clients of your current employer to purchase a similar product or use a similar service from your new company instead.
Nonsolicitation clauses must be clear about the types of clients, products, and services they cover. An overbroad contractual condition that is ambiguous about its boundaries will not be enforceable in court.
Confidentiality Agreement
Confidentiality agreements explain which types of information you must keep confidential as a condition of your employment. Such information can include trade secrets, client lists, and other information your employer considers privileged or proprietary. An agreement can remain in force for as long as the company continues to keep the information it covers confidential.
Confidentiality agreements are sometimes used to try to prevent employee whistleblowing on the grounds that leaked information is “confidential.” These agreements must be carefully worded and clearly specify the information they cover to be legally enforceable.
Severance Agreement
A severance agreement is a contract signed by both you and your employer detailing the terms of your separation from the company. These contracts include any severance pay you will receive, the date of your termination, and similar terms.
Severance agreements are almost guaranteed to include a release of liability or other agreement not to sue your employer. An agreement not to sue spells out specific claims you agree not to bring against your employer in a certain period. This timeline usually aligns with the statute of limitations for the affected claims, meaning that you agree to let the deadline run out and give up your right to sue.
Never sign a severance agreement without reviewing it with an employment contract attorney. It’s critical to be aware of the rights you may be giving up before signing an agreement.
Why Do I Need a New York Employment Contract Lawyer?
Contract negotiations can be complicated, especially when working out the terms of employment at a new job. An employment contract lawyer can ensure your contract is fair and legal and protects your rights.
Attorneys bring specific skills to the table in contract negotiations that help you make sure nothing is left out. Your lawyer will help you assess the risk of a given contract, revise existing terms and draft new ones, and conduct extensive legal research into labor laws that apply to you.
Representation by an attorney also levels the playing field between you and your new employer, which will have its own legal team available to protect its interests. Our New York employment contract lawyers are committed to making corporate negotiations fair for the average person, so you don’t have to go up against big business alone.
Contact Joseph & Norinsberg for Your Employment Law Cases
When starting a new position, it’s important to thoroughly understand your employment contract. Employers may try to get away with biased, unfair, or even illegal contracts.
If you’re starting a new role, leaving a company, or under a restrictive covenant at work, working with the employment contract lawyers at our firm can help protect your rights.
Contact us online or call 212-227-5700 today for your free consultation.
An extensive track record of success has resulted in Jon becoming one of the top civil rights litigators in New York City. A true trial lawyer, he is not intimidated by the intense challenges complex civil rights and constitutional law cases present.
- New York Age Discrimination Lawyer
- New York Disability Discrimination Lawyer
- New York Gender Discrimination Lawyer
- New York Pregnancy Discrimination Lawyer
- New York Race Discrimination Lawyer
- New York LGBTQ Employment Discrimination Lawyer
- New York Weight Discrimination Lawyer
- New York Religious Discrimination Lawyer
Increased client’s severance for being discriminated against for their disability.
Defended 12 individuals facing discrimination and retaliation based on race and gender in the workplace.
Race discrimination case against a luxury brand in the fashion industry (confidential).
