Employee Monitoring in Virginia
Published : September 4, 2017
By John V. Berry, Esq., www.berrylegal.com
An interesting topic in Virginia employment law involves an employee’s right to privacy within the workplace. While there have not yet been many specific laws enacted by the Commonwealth of Virginia governing employee rights in the workplace, this area of law is developing and changing almost as fast as technology is. In light of the […]
Tips for Virginia Employees in Wrongful Termination and Discrimination Cases
Published : July 10, 2017
By Kimberly H. Berry, Esq., www.berrylegal.com
The following are 6 employment tips that can be helpful when an employee in Virginia is facing significant employment issues like termination, discrimination or retaliation. Six Employment Tips to Consider Remain Calm. When employment issues arise, it is extremely important that employees remain calm and keep their composure. As difficult as it may seem at […]
Severance Agreements in Virginia
Published : April 17, 2017
By Kimberly H. Berry, Esq., www.berrylegal.com
In Virginia, most employees are considered “at will,” which generally means they can be terminated or resign at any time. Even if they are “at will,” when an employee’s employment ends, an employer may offer severance to an employee in exchange for the employee’s waiver of his / her rights, including the right to file suit for […]
Virginia Employees’ Protection from Retaliation for Safety and Health Complaints at Work
Published : March 1, 2017
By John V. Berry, Esq., www.berrylegal.com
Virginia employees are protected by Occupational Safety and Health laws from retaliation and discrimination if they report safety and health issues in the workplace which affect other employees. In Virginia, an employee shall not be discriminated against or terminated in retaliation for filing a safety or health complaint, testifying or exercising a right under Virginia Code Ann. […]
Filing a Sexual Harassment Complaint in Virginia
Published : February 1, 2017
By John V. Berry, Esq., www.berrylegal.com
Employees in the Commonwealth of Virginia have a number of forums for potentially filing a sexual harassment complaint. Individuals often also ask us to help them determine whether or not the facts in their case constitute sexual harassment. The general definition of sexual harassment, according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is that it […]
Where to File Discrimination and Harassment Complaints in Virginia
Published : December 19, 2016
By John V. Berry, www.berrylegal.com
We often are asked by employees about their options for filing a discrimination or harassment complaint in Virginia. The answer is that it depends on many factors. For private, federal and other public sector employees in Virginia there are a number of options for filing a complaint of discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation and/or an ongoing […]
Virginia Severance Agreements
Published : November 21, 2016
By Kimberly H. Berry, Esq., www.berrylegal.com
Employees in Virginia are generally considered “at will,” which means they can resign and/or be terminated at any time. When employment ends, an employer may offer a severance package to an employee in exchange for the employee’s waiver of rights. However, employers, in the absence of an agreement or severance policy, generally have no obligation […]
White House Proposes Changes to Non-Compete Agreements to States (including Virginia)
Published : November 7, 2016
By Kimberly Berry, Esq., www.berrylegal.com
The White House recently asked states to enact legislation banning non-compete agreements for low-wage workers in an effort to increase competition and improve the economy. In a White House report issued on October 25, 2016, it explained that these types of agreements often prevent out-of-work employees from finding new jobs in their career fields. The White House […]
Virginia Employee Access to Personnel Files
Published : May 3, 2016
By John V. Berry, Esq., www.berrylegal.com
In our legal practice, many current and former employees in Virginia often ask us whether they have the right to obtain a copy of their personnel file or at least have the ability to request and review it. Each state has their own laws and regulations with respect to this issue for private sector employees. […]
Fairfax County Human Rights Discrimination Complaints
Published : April 9, 2016
By John V. Berry, Esq., www.berrylegal.com
This article is an overview of the Fairfax County Office of Human Rights and Equity Programs, Human Rights Division (HRD) process. The purpose of the HRD is to examine and investigate complaints by employees who have claimed discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, marital status, age, familial status or disability involving […]
