Blog Archives | Bell Law Group

Know Your Rights: What New York Employees Should Know About Pay Transparency

A couple of years ago, New York passed a law that requires pay transparency in employment. While the pay transparency law doesn’t apply to all employers, it applies to most, and penalties apply when employers fail to comply. Here is an overview of what employees in New York should know about their legal rights: New York’s Pay Transparency Law Applies to Employers with Four or More Employees The first thing to know about New York’s pay transparency law is that it applies to employers with four or more employees.

Why Should I Hire a Security Clearance Lawyer?

If you have questions or concerns about obtaining a federal security clearance, can—and should—you hire a lawyer to represent you? There are several circumstances in which it can be beneficial to work with an experienced lawyer during the security clearance application process. This includes both: Circumstances involved with preparing your security clearance application; and, Circumstances involved with receiving a security clearance application denial.

What Is It Like Having a Hearing in Front of the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA)?

If you have had your federal security clearance application denied, this is not the end of the process. You have the right to challenge the denial; and, in many cases, this involves seeking a hearing before the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA). Preparing for and attending a DOHA hearing is a unique process, so it is important to know what you can (and should) expect along the way.

What Constitutes Sexual Harassment in the Workplace?

Sexual harassment in the workplace can take many different forms. As an employee, knowing what constitutes sexual harassment (or what may constitute sexual harassment) is important; and, if you have concerns, you should speak with a lawyer about your situation promptly. Sexual harassment is rarely an isolated issue, and it is not an issue that is likely to go away on its own.

What is a Reasonable Accommodation for a Disability and Why Does Your Employer Have to Engage in the Interactive Process?

Employees who have disabilities have clear legal rights under New York and federal law. This is true for employees in the public and private sectors, and while the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) only applies to private-sector employers with 15 or more employees, the New York State Human Rights Law (SHRL) applies to all employers regardless of size. Understanding Your Right to a Reasonable Accommodation as an Employee with a Disability in New York One of the legal rights afforded to employees with disabilities under the ADA and SHRL (and under the Rehabilitation Act for those in the federal sector) is the right to a reasonable accommodation.

President Trump’s Proposed Overhaul of FEMA: What Federal Employees Need to Know

President Trump has vowed to overhaul the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) during his second term. His pick for Homeland Security Secretary, former South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, has also stated that she intends to “get rid of FEMA the way it exists today.” Already, more than 200 FEMA employees have been fired, and, based on what we know currently, it appears that this could be just the beginning of the administration’s efforts to dismantle the agency. What do you need to know if you work for the Federal Emergency Management Agency—or if you have recently been terminated from your employment with FEMA?