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Posted By
John P. Mahoney, Esq., Attorney at Law
There are a wide variety of reasons you may need to take a leave of absence from your job. Unfortunately, some employers may unfairly and illegally discriminate against those who wish to go on extended leave. Remember, you have rights to take leave and you have certain protections for retaining your job in Washington D.C. Federal Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Under federal law, you have a right to take ...
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Posted By
John P. Mahoney, Esq., Attorney at Law
According to an audit issued by Justice Department Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz, female FBI agents on June 26, ATF agents, DEA agents, and deputy marshals are underrepresented in the ranks of law enforcement. In addition, female investigators are rarely promoted to key jobs at our country’s top law enforcement agencies. In the report, women comprised only 16 percent of the criminal ...
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Posted By
John P. Mahoney, Esq., Attorney at Law
In a case involving the rights of tens of millions of employees in the private sector, the U.S. Supreme Court delivered a severe blow to workers in May, ruling that companies can use arbitration clauses in employment contracts to prohibit employees from banding together to challenge violations of federal labor laws. The vote was 5 to 4, Trump-nominated Justice Neil Gorsuch and four other ...
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Posted By
John P. Mahoney, Esq., Attorney at Law
Over a week ago, President Trump issued three executive orders aimed at reducing the time it takes to fire federal employees. The president’s directives emphasize a merit-based system for employees, while cutting down the amount of time required before an agency can terminate a federal worker. In addition, they also encourage federal agencies to fire poor-performing employees rather than initially ...
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Posted By
John P. Mahoney, Esq., Attorney at Law
Whether it is a federal discrimination or termination case, many federal employees are curious about the concept of constructive discharge and if it may apply to their case. A constructive discharge occurs when an employer wrongfully makes working conditions so intolerable that the employee is either forced to resign or retire by involuntary means. Common examples of constructive discharge in the ...
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Posted By
John P. Mahoney, Esq., Attorney at Law
In response to a 48-page report issued last year by Michael E. Horowitz (general inspector for the Department of Justice) that detailed harassment, assault, and sexual misconduct, the DOJ has issued directives to address sexual harassment earlier this month. Written by the deputy attorney general, Rod J. Rosenstein, and two other officials in his office, the directives aim to ensure that the DOJ ...
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Posted By
John P. Mahoney, Esq., Attorney at Law
Defamation occurs when a person makes an intentionally false statement which harms another. It is considered a personal injury, meaning you may be eligible for damages for both financial losses and emotional distress. When a statement is made orally, it is called slander. By contrast, a written statement is called libel. In a job context, the defendant is often an employer or a former employer. ...
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Posted By
John P. Mahoney, Esq., Attorney at Law
Sexual harassment in the workplace—whether federal or not—is a huge problem. Every year, thousands of incidents are reported. But, unfortunately, many more incidents occur without notice because the victims are afraid to take action. Who will believe their story? How will they prove their case in the courtroom? The main issue for many sexual harassment victims is that they think that they’re all ...
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Posted By
John P. Mahoney, Esq., Attorney at Law
As a federal employee, you are protected in more ways than one. One of the primary ways you are protected is through the Federal Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act, which Congress passed in 1989. Our DC federal employment attorney of John P. Mahoney, Esq., Attorney at Law will help determine whether or not your rights have been violated according to the Whistleblower Protection Act, and we ...
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Posted By
John P. Mahoney, Esq., Attorney at Law
Retaliation occurs quite commonly in the workplace, particularly at the level of the federal government. As an employee who has complained about possible discrimination, fraud, mismanagement of funds, harassment, or government waste, you may be fearful of a possible punitive response. This, however, is entirely illegal, and if you find yourself a victim of employer retaliation, it is vital you ...
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Posted By
John P. Mahoney, Esq., Attorney at Law
If you are aware of someone who has defrauded the government or violated labor laws, you should consider becoming a whistleblower. Becoming a whistle blower is not only the ethical thing to do, but you might also be substantially rewarded for making corruption and fraud known to the public. There are numerous protections and incentives place to encourage people to report any questionable actions ...
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Posted By
John P. Mahoney, Esq., Attorney at Law
Many of the rights that employees enjoy today came into place because of the efforts made by workers’ rights protesters back in the 19th century and the early days of our industrialized economy. Before this, holidays were unheard of, and both children and adults slaved away for more than 16 hours a day, slept in work houses on factory property, and were barely fed enough food to keep themselves ...
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Posted By
John P. Mahoney, Esq., Attorney at Law
Thousands of jobs in the federal government require a security clearance in order to perform their essential functions. Getting these clearances is an extensive process that requires paperwork, background checks, and much more. Getting more advanced clearances requires even more thorough investigations and stringent requirements, and for some people this could be a huge barrier to advancing in ...
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Posted By
John P. Mahoney, Esq., Attorney at Law
Workplace discrimination is becoming increasingly less common thanks to the immense number of laws that prevent employers from taking adverse actions against workers for things like whistleblowing on unethical conduct, requesting a raise, or working with other employees to unionize. However, these instances still do exist and you do have the right to hold your employer accountable when they happen ...
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Posted By
John P. Mahoney, Esq., Attorney at Law
If you plan to file a formal complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) , you will need to do so within 15 days after you have been given notice from your EEO Counselor about how to file. This notice should be sent after you have had a final interview with the EEO Counselor. The complaint has to be filed at the same EEO office that you received counseling from. The ...
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