Bonnie M. Smith

Class actions and collective actions are procedures that allow many people to join together to bring legal claims in one case. These procedures are commonly used to combat illegal activities that have caused similar problems for a large number of people. For example, a class action or collective action lawsuit may start with an employer failing to pay overtime to all employees on a particular shift.

Generally, it is illegal for an employer to discriminate against you, with respect to terms of employment, because you belong to a “protected class,” or because of certain choices you have made which are protected by law. Under the federal law, employers cannot discriminate against you because of your race/color, national origin, gender, religion, age, or disability. Gender discrimination includes pregnancy discrimination.

The basic rule of employment law in the United States is that employment is considered to be “at-will” unless otherwise agreed upon by contract. Before signing employment contracts, you should first consult with an employment lawyer if at all possible. Employment at-will generally means that both the employer and the employee have the right to terminate the employment agreement at any time, for any reason, with or without notice.