Strategic Counsel for Contracts and Compliance
A New York employment lawyer can help both employers and employees maintain good working relationships with each other. The Fried Firm can help you draft the proper contracts and documents that lead to more successful hirings and firings and help you maintain safe work conditions. We will guide you on complex wage and overtime laws, particularly when using independent contractors.
Contact us today to get started.
Who We Represent
The Fried Firm represents both employers and employees. We’re here to help whether you’re an employee fighting over unpaid wages or an employer drafting an employment contract for a new hire. We work with full-time and part-time employees, freelancers, and contractors.
As The Fried Firm founder Shana Fried notes, “We help creatives and professionals regain control over their careers. You need a lawyer who knows what the rules are and when it’s appropriate to challenge them.”
Why Are the Benefits of Hiring a New York Employment Lawyer?
A New York employment lawyer gives you the resources you need to help you overcome the challenges that come up in your day-to-day business dealings. Under New York employment laws, employees work “at will,” which means employers can terminate the employment relationship at any time, for any reason – or no reason. And if a contract does exist, The Fried Firm can help the affected party figure out what to do next.
Some of the ways the legal team at The Fried Firm can help employers and employees in New York include:
- Drafting offer letters for potential employees
- Drafting and negotiating employment contracts, including independent contractor agreements
- Creating hiring and firing guidelines that help employers stay within the law while not putting their businesses at risk
- Developing an employee handbook for employers to distribute to employees
- Answering employers’ and employees’ questions about the rules for legal working conditions
- Helping employers understand how best to work with independent contractors
- Fighting claims made against a business regarding wages and hours
- Helping employees file a complaint if they were forced into unsafe working conditions
Contact our legal team at The Fried Firm for a consultation to learn more.
New York Employment Lawyer FAQs
Here are some of the questions we receive most often. If you don’t see yours here, call or message us for help.
What Laws Protect Workers in New York?
In New York, the laws that protect employment rights include:
- The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), for wage and hour disputes
- The New York State Minimum Wage Act and Labor Law, for paying workers the wages they are legally entitled to
- Workers’ Compensation Laws, such as the Scaffold Law, which covers workers’ rights when they’re hurt on the job
- New York State Human Rights Laws, which guide employers on how to hire and manage employees without the potential for discrimination or harassment
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards, for maintaining safe working conditions
Our New York employment lawyers can give you insight as to what laws do and do not impact your business.
Can an Employee Collect Unemployment in New York?
New York allows employees to receive unemployment based on the following criteria:
- Being laid off due to a lack of available work
- A reduction in the company’s staff (layoff) due to a downsizing or shutdown
- The ending of their seasonal or temporary employment
- The elimination of their position
- The restructuring or reorganization of the company
If you lost your job through no fault of your own, and you have worked within the last 18 months, you may qualify for unemployment. Your eligibility is also dependent on your ability to be ready, willing, and able to start working right away.
Can an Employee Get Paid for Services Rendered, But Not Paid, in a Situation Where the Employer Benefitted?
Under New York law, when you provide services to a company as an employee, your employer owes you for that compensation. It is important to know whether your company is paid or not by their customers, or if they benefited in any way from your work, then they owe you for the work you completed for them.
You are legally entitled to compensation for any services you rendered. If you do not receive it, this could be considered “wage theft,” and you may be able to file a claim with the state against your employer. It’s always a good idea to speak to a New York employment lawyer if this is your current situation.
What Could Happen if an Employee Doesn’t Return Company Property Upon Leaving a Job?
If you fail to return company property, there are several ways you can be penalized. Typically, these are outlined in the employee handbook you received when you were hired, as well as in any contracts you were directed to sign upon being hired. Most often, companies will deduct the cost of the product from your final paycheck, and you may be subject to legal action in the company’s efforts to get the property back.
What Benefits Are Employees Entitled to Under the State Regulatory Rights?
As an employee of a New York-based company, you have rights. Here are some of the benefits to which you are entitled and that your employer must provide:
- Paid Prenatal Leave – As of January 2025, privately employed pregnant employees have the right to paid time off for prenatal care in addition to sick leave, which includes up to 20 hours of paid prenatal leave each year.
- Unemployment Insurance – The state provides 26 weeks of regular unemployment insurance benefits for workers who become unemployed through no fault of their own. This law also provides support for workers who must leave work for certain family reasons, such as a family member’s sickness or disability, or domestic abuse.
- Paid Family Leave – All private employees in New York are eligible for paid family leave, which is funded through weekly payroll deductions and allows their health insurance to continue. This gives employees paid time off to bond with a newborn, adopt or foster a child, care for a family member with a serious health complication, or assist family members when someone is deployed abroad on active military service.
- Workers’ Compensation and Disability – Workers who are hurt on the job may be able to recover damages for their losses, such as medical bills. You can also recover benefits equal to two-thirds of the injured worker’s average weekly wage.
How Much Does an Employment Lawyer in New York Cost?
Whether you are an employee or an employer, our rate depends on numerous factors, including the type of case you have and how long you will need us. Every case is different, so it is best to schedule a free consultation to discuss yours with us.
Contact The Fried Firm for Help with Your Case
The Fried Firm is the New York employment lawyer you need by your side, whether you’re an employee or an employer in the entertainment industry. Contact our New York employment attorneys today.
