David T. Lopez’s Answers

You definitely need an attorney familiar with immigration law, as your situation depends on numerous details. If you are a legal resident of the U.S., it might in the long run be better for you to go through the naturalization process.

It is possible that you are protected against discrimination under federal and possibly state law if your medical condition meets the requirements of the Americans With Disabilities Act (also known as the ADA). You likely will need assistance in interpreting the law. The National Employment Law Association (www.nela.org) can refer you to attorneys in your area that are familiar with the law. You also can obtain information directly online by contacting the Advocacy Inc.office in your state (...

The way the policy is worded does not sound like it is mandatory: "should have," not simple "have" or "now have." If you have concerns about the policy being mandatory, discuss them with your immediate supervisor. You do not have to be negative, for example, you can say, "I think that the policy that we should have hug time is an interesting idea to make the new employees feel welcomed. However, I am not sure that I would really feel comfortable giving a hug. Would it be okay if I shake...

Your approach might depend on the value to you of the award. If a substantial monetary amount is involved, you certainly would be better off by retaining a lawyer to handle the paperwork and filing with an appropriate court. An additional consideration is that a lawyer could check to see that your debtor has sufficient resources to satisfy the judgment. If the debtor has little or no assets that can be reached, you could end up with no more than a judgment document suitable for framing. I...

You might have some protection if the letter confirming your hiring set a specific term of employment, such as one year. Otherwise, the employer might be able to change the terms of employment with or without a 30-day notification. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of the U.S. Department of Labor accepts complaints of retaliation because of raising safety concerns, but keep in mind that the claim must be raised within a relatively short time after your demotion. A...

If the younger employee had duties the same or very similar to yours, there is the possibility of raising an age discrimination claim, unless you signed a waiver in exchange for severance pay. The law requires that such a waiver be given with certain safeguards in order to be valid, such as sufficient time to consider the offer, recommendation that you consult an attorney, and the ability to withdraw acceptance within a set period of time. The United States Equal Employment Opportunity...

In order to make a discrimination claim, you must be able to show that you were treated differently because of being in a particular class protected because of such characteristics as sex, race, age, religion, physical or mental disability or others. There might be an argument that you could make, but there is not sufficient information in your question to make a definite determination. For example, arrest and credit records have been held to constitute impermissible discrimination on a...

You do have rights, the nature and extent of which are dependent on the law of your state. Try to reach agreement with the mother over the issues you list, as well as your obligation of child support. It is in both your interests to do so without having to incur attorney's fees and go to court. Perhaps a mutual friend or sympathetic family member can assist in getting the two of you together to discuss a possible agreement in good faith. In some communities, there are organizations that can...

A signed promise to pay is enforceable by a court, but depending on the amount, it might not warrant the expense of attorney services and court fees. The time available to enforce it depends on a law called the statute of limitations, as it applies to contracts in your state. If there is a county law library in your community, the librarian there might be able to direct you to a law book that you can consult.

You need to contact an attorney to find out if you had any rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) that were violated. If you cannot afford legal representation, contact your local bar association and ask if there is a volunteer lawyer program in your community. Sometimes time limitations on claims can be extended if you can show that you were not mentally or physically able to make your complaint on time, but you need an attorney to check the law that applies in your state.