Employment Law

Bradley G. Davis Law Office PLLC is a Seattle-based law firm serving King County and the entire State of Washington in the areas of wrongful termination, discrimination, sexual harassment, hostile work environment, and employment contracts.

Wrongful Termination - A wrongful discharge can be based on any of the actions described below, such as discrimination or sexual harassment. In addition, an employee may be wrongfully terminated in a retaliatory discharge for exercising protected rights, such as reporting illegal activity or safety violations (whistleblowing), missing work for jury duty, engaging in protected concerted activity with a labor union, or filing a claim for workers' compensation or other disability benefits.

Discrimination – Both state and federal laws protect an employee from unlawful discrimination on the basis of characteristics such as race, color, national origin, religion, sex (gender), age, disability, or genetic information. These protections extend to every phase of employment, from applications and hiring, to assignments and transfers, pay, demotions, and termination.

Sexual Harassment - The law prohibits quid pro quo sexual harassment, where a superior conditions favorable or unfavorable job treatment in exchange for a subordinate's sexual favors. Sexual harassment of this sort need not involve a sexual act but can occur for instance when a supervisor asks an employee out on a date but then discriminates against the employee for refusing to accept.

Hostile Work Environment - Unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature can become so severe and pervasive that it creates a hostile or intimidating work environment for the subject of the unwelcome treatment. Illegal conduct may be sexual harassment of the type described above, but can also include offensive language and inappropriate touching, posters in a break room or work area, graffiti in a bathroom, etc. Hostile environment sexual harassment can be male-female, or female-male, or even same-sex harassment.

A hostile work environment can also occur based on other factors than sex, such as race or religion.

Employment Contracts - An employment contract will most often state the duration of the employment relationship, or contain provisions for when and how an employee can be terminated. Issues of pay, promotion, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment are likely covered by contract. A breach of contract by the employer may be remedied in numerous ways, including seeking reinstatement or back pay, reassignment, or money damages. Our office handles all manner of employee-employer contract disputes.

Washington is in general "at-will" employment state. In the absence of an employment contract, an employee may be fired at any time for any reason, as long as it is not an illegal reason such as discrimination or retaliation as described above. Even without an express written agreement, there are ways to change an at-will arrangement into a contractual relationship. Statements in an employee handbook or policy manual may make certain guarantees about continued employment which would require the employer to have "cause" or "just cause" to terminate. Even oral statements may be enough to create this expectation in certain circumstances. Always consult an attorney if you feel you have been wrongfully terminated. An experienced employment lawyer will be able to determine whether you had an at-will or contractual relationship with your employer.

Twenty Years of Experience and Expertise

With 20 years of experience in the practice of labor and employment law, our firm is capable of handling any type of employment issue that may arise, including pregnancy leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA), disability discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), or failure to pay overtime in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). If you have an employment law issue in the State of Washington, contact the Bradley G. Davis Law Office PLLC for a free consultation.