“How much is my lawsuit worth?”

“What can you get for me?”

Anpil moun poze kesyon enpòtan sa yo lè y ap reflechi sou aksyon kont yon patwon. Yo trè rezonab, men yo menm tou yo trè difisil pou reponn, espesyalman pandan premye etap yo nan yon pwosè.

Kesyon sa yo ak repons yo fèt pou ede w reflechi sou pwoblèm sa a epi ede w devlope kèk insight nan fason avoka w la rive nan yon repons pou kesyon ki anwo yo.

Rasanble epi mete nan lòd kwonolojik tout dokiman yo ke ou ka jwenn konsènan souch travay-chak peman ou, chak memwa, chak nòt ekri alamen. Eseye, nan règleman konpayi ou a, jwenn kopi nan:

• Evalyasyon pèfòmans yo
• Avètisman disiplinè oswa reprimand
• Lèt nan mèsi oswa lwanj (soti nan administratè, kliyan, oswa ko-travayè)
• Memwa entèn
• bilten konpayi
• Dosye pretandans
• Nenpòt dokiman ki deklare rezon ki fè ou ranvwaye
• Manyèl, manyèl, oswa lòt dokiman ki dekri règleman travay, règleman, ak pwosedi
• Benefis pansyon ak enfòmasyon sou plan retrèt
• Dokiman ki gen rapò ak reklamasyon chomaj ou
• Kopi devwa travay yo
• Tablo òganizasyonèl, dyagram, plan etaj, elatriye.

Pa pran dokiman oswa jwenn aksè nan ki ou pa gen dwa epi ou pa gen dwa. Si ou se yon manm inyon, mande inyon ou a ede nan trape dokiman ki otreman difisil jwenn, men nan ki ou gen dwa legalman.

Idantifye temwen yo

Si ou panse ko-travayè oswa lòt moun obsève move tretman ou, fè yon lis non yo, adrès, ak nimewo telefòn lakay ou, ansanm ak yon rezime de sa ou espere yo di - si wi ou non bon oswa move. "Move" oswa temwen san parèy yo enpòtan espesyalman pou diskite ak avoka ou pou ke li ka evalye domaj yo ta ka fè nan ka w la. Avètisman se ponyèt.

Mande temwen zanmitay pou ba ou yon deklarasyon ekri sou nenpòt bagay yo te wè oswa tande pale de sitiyasyon ou le pli vit ke ou deside aji kont patwon ou. Souvine yo fè fas a tan. Asire w ke temwen yo deklare sèlman reyalite yo pèsonèlman epi bay egzanp espesifik sou sa yo te wè tèt yo oswa sa yo te di dirèkteman. Deklarasyon jeneral tankou, "Tout moun te konnen ke sipèvizè a te soti pou jwenn li," yo pa itil nan ka w la. Jwenn deklarasyon ki presize ki moun, ki, ki lè, ak ki kote nan diskriminasyon an oswa otreman aksyon ilegal, tankou anplwayè w la ap rele nan ou oswa entèfere ak travay ou. Si sa posib, fè deklarasyon ekri a siyen devan yon Notè.

Deklarasyon temwen ki pi itil yo reyalite-entansif ak enbele pa kòlè nan direksyon patwon ou oswa pa amitye ba ou. Yo ta dwe detaye ase pou ke nenpòt moun ki li yo - tribinal la, yon avoka, oswa yon envestigatè ajans - pral wè "foto a gwo."

Si ou konnen anplwaye ki te maltrete nan menm fason ou te ye a, mande yo pou deklarasyon sou fason yo te trete yo. Si sipèvizè ou a, pou egzanp, te fè remak ensiltasyon ak diminye remak ou ak lòt travayè yo, jwenn deklarasyon ki soti nan lòt ko-travayè yo ki site oswa paraphrase remak yo, bay dat yo sou ki yo te fè, ak non nenpòt lòt moun ki te prezan.

This is a selection from Job Rights and Survival Strategies by Paul H. Tobias and Susan Sauter.

This page provides answers to the following questions:

Why might I need a lawyer to handle a employment-related problem?

To fully enforce state and federal laws protecting employees against illegal actions by their employers, you will need an attorney in many situations where you have a serious problem with your employer and need to take legal action. Most attorneys representing employees do so because they understand that non-unionized employees are relatively powerless against employers.

While you may be caught up in a serious employment dispute only once or twice in your lifetime, some larger employers and their attorneys handle many employment disputes every single day. Most employers have much more experience and resources than you to evaluate and handle claims. An employee who has not consulted an attorney can be at a real disadvantage.

Succeeding in an employment lawsuit without a lawyer (called filing “pro se”) is virtually impossible. Besides knowing the law (only some of which is covered elsewhere on this website) and the associated court procedures, an attorney will know what information you need to win, how to get it, how to present witnesses and documents to the court and jury, and how to prevent a company and its attorneys from using unfair tactics to win the case. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you will win and save yourself some attorneys fees by taking the case to trial by your self. You could end up with nothing. Worse, you might end up having to pay your employer for the expenses they incurred in defending your lawsuit.

Do I need to talk to a lawyer right away?

Here are some of the situations in which you are strongly encouraged to speak with an attorney immediately:

• You have concerns about how you are being treated in the workplace or whether your termination or lay off was legal;
• You are considering quitting your employment because of your employer’s apparently unlawful conduct;
• You do not want to or cannot negotiate with your employer regarding severance pay;
• You do not clearly understand your rights or are unsure of the proper action to take after your termination;
• You are nearing the end of your “statute of limitations” or deadline for filing suit and are still unsure of how or where to file a claim;
• You are being pressured to sign a complicated and lengthy “release of claims” that you do not fully understand;
• You want to file a lawsuit in state or federal court;
• You know of many other employees who want to bring the same type of claim against the same employer;
• You are dissatisfied with a governmental agency’s (such as the EEOC) investigation of your complaint;
• You have powerful evidence that your termination was illegal.

If you delay contacting an attorney, you will not know what you may be able to do to prevent your situation from worsening and you may not properly document events as they occur. Because it is your burden to prove an illegal motive, such as discrimination or retaliation, you must document the evidence that supports your claims. If you fail to document events as they happen, later you may not have the evidence necessary to prove your case. You need documents or a witness to confirm facts and events. If it is your word against your manager’s word, it will be very difficult to prove your claim.

Example: if you are given a poor job evaluation, placed on a “performance improvement plan” and then threatened with termination, an attorney will help you to evaluate your possible claims and how to document your case. Usually, the employer is very experienced at documenting poor performance to defend itself against claims. However, by documenting events in a way that refutes the reasons for the adverse action, the employer may back off.

Without legal help early on, you may not be prepared to counter the employer’s stated reason for your poor evaluation or termination.

Visit the Workplace Fairness Employment Attorney Directory to search for a lawyer in your area.

Some additional criteria an employment lawyer will use to assess the value of your case are:

• Your actual losses, including past and future wages.
• The strength of the evidence you have, the evidence that could be obtained through the pre-trial process, and the availability of credible witnesses and documents. Is it your word against theirs? Is there objective evidence of wrongdoing? As much as possible, your attorney will also look at these things from the other side’s point of view: what evidence and witnesses do they have to use against you?
• The estimated cost of your lawsuit, including attorney’s fees and other costs.
• The time it is going to take to get you a recovery. Money you get today is worth more to you than money that takes three years to recover.

A lawyer will help you think about these issues, typically as part of a first consultation. Many lawyers are reluctant to put a price on a case when they first hear about it because critical information is missing: what is the other side’s story and what evidence do they have to support it?

The general rule is to include all of the details that would enable the agency to determine if you have a claim or the law has been violated. The most basic information to include is:

• Your name, address, and telephone number.
• The name, address, and telephone number of the employer, employment agency, or union that you wish to file the claim against.
• An estimate of the number of employees (or union members), if you know. (Certain laws only apply to employers with a minimum number of employees).
• A short description of the facts supporting your complaint that a law has been violated.
• The date(s) of the violation(s).

Be sure to follow all directions on the form, and do not leave any requested information blank if you have a way to find out the information before submitting the form.

1331 Pennsylvania Ave NW #1150 Washington, DC 20425

Phone: (202) 376-8105 TTY: (202) 376-8116 E-Mail: publications@usccr.gov Website: www.usccr.gov

Agency Information/Mission: The Civil Rights Act of 1957 created the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. Since then, Congress has reauthorized or extended the legislation creating the Commission several times; the last reauthorization was in 1994 by the Civil Rights Commission Amendments Act of 1994.

Established as an independent, bipartisan, fact-finding federal agency, our mission is to inform the development of national civil rights policy and enhance enforcement of federal civil rights laws. We pursue this mission by studying alleged deprivations of voting rights and alleged discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, or national origin, or in the administration of justice. We play a vital role in advancing civil rights through objective and comprehensive investigation, research, and analysis on issues of fundamental concern to the federal government and the public.

Information on Filing a Complaint

Getting Uncle Sam to Enforce Your Civil Rights

Civil Rights Directory

950 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W. Office of the Assistant Attorney General Washington, D.C. 20530

Department Comment Line: 202-353-1555 Department of Justice Main Switchboard: 202-514-2000

TDD: 800-877-8339 Additional Contact Information: https://www.justice.gov/crt/contact-office E-Mail: Contact individual department, as listed at Civil Rights Section Home Pages Website: http://www.usdoj.gov/crt

Agency Information/Mission: To enforce the law and defend the interests of the United States according to the law; to ensure public safety against threats foreign and domestic; to provide federal leadership in preventing and controlling crime; to seek just punishment for those guilty of unlawful behavior; and to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans.  

Thomas Jefferson wrote, “The most sacred of the duties of government [is] to do equal and impartial justice to all its citizens.”  This sacred duty remains the guiding principle for the women and men of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Disability Rights Section Home Page The Disability Rights Section works to achieve equal opportunity for people with disabilities in the United States by implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The Section also carries out responsibilities under Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act, and Executive Order 12250.

Employment Litigation Section The Employment Litigation Section enforces against state and local government employers the provisions of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, and other federal laws prohibiting employment practices that discriminate on grounds of race, sex, religion, and national origin. The Section also enforces against state and local government employers and private employers the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994, which prohibits employers from discriminating or retaliating against an employee or applicant for employment because of such person’s past, current or future military obligation.

Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices (OSC) The Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices (OSC) enforces the anti-discrimination provision (§ 274B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 8 U.S.C. § 1324b.

This federal law prohibits: 1) citizenship status discrimination in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral for a fee, 2) national origin discrimination in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral for a fee, 3) document abuse (unfair documentary practices during the employment eligibility verification, Form I-9, process, and 4) retaliation or intimidation.

U.S. Department of Labor

Frances Perkins Building 200 Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20210

Phone: (866) 4-USA-DOL TTY: (877) 889-5627 E-Mail: See DOL E-Mail Topics for further information Website: www.dol.gov

Agency Information/Mission: To foster, promote, and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers, and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.

Summary of the Major Laws of the Department of Labor

Workers Information Page

ELaws: Employment Law Assistance for Workers and Small Businesses

Wage and Hour Division Home Page

Occupational Safety & Health Administration

200 Constitution Avenue, NW Room Number N3626 Washington, D.C. 20210

Phone: (800) 321-OSHA (6742) TTY: (877) 889-5627 Additional Contact Information: OSHA Contact Information E-Mail: OSHA E-Mail Form Website: www.osha.gov

How to File a Complaint with OSHA

OSHA Complaint Handling Process
OSHA Regional and Area Offices
OSHA eTools and Electronic Products for Compliance Assistance

Employee Benefits Security Information

Frances Perkins Building 200 Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20210

Phone: (Toll-Free) (866) 444-EBSA (3272) TTY: (Toll-Free) (877) 889-5627 E-Mail: www.askebsa.dol.gov Website: www.dol.gov/ebsa

Agency Information/Mission: EBSA is committed to educating and assisting over 200 million pension, health and other employee benefit plan participants and beneficiaries and more than 3 million plan sponsors and members of the employee benefit community. EBSA promotes voluntary compliance and facilitates self-regulation, working diligently to provide quality assistance to plan participants and beneficiaries. EBSA’s goal in providing direct assistance is to raise the knowledge level of plan participants and beneficiaries, service providers and other interested parties and to ensure that they have access to available plan documents filed with the Department of Labor. This enables participants to better understand and exercise their rights under the law and, when possible, to recover any benefits to which they may be entitled.

What You Should Know About Your Pension Rights
ERISA Compliance Assistance
EBSA Frequently Asked Questions
EBSA Regional Offices

National Headquarters 131 M St NE Washington, DC 20002  National Contact Center P.O. Box 7033 Lawrence, Kansas 66044

Toll-Free (National Contact Center): (800) 669-4000 Phone (National Headquarters): (202) 663-4900 TTY: (202) 663-4494/ Toll-Free: (800) 669-6820 Fax: (703) 997-4890 E-Mail: info@eeoc.gov (Please include your zip code and/or city and state so that your email will be sent to the appropriate office.) Website: www.eeoc.gov National Contact Center Website: https://eeoc.custhelp.com/app/home

Agency Information/Mission: The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person’s race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information. It is also illegal to discriminate against a person because the person complained about discrimination, filed a charge of discrimination, or participated in an employment discrimination investigation or lawsuit.

Most employers with at least 15 employees are covered by EEOC laws (20 employees in age discrimination cases). Most labor unions and employment agencies are also covered.

The laws apply to all types of work situations, including hiring, firing, promotions, harassment, training, wages, and benefits.

The EEOC has the authority to investigate charges of discrimination against employers who are covered by the law. Our role in an investigation is to fairly and accurately assess the allegations in the charge and then make a finding. If we find that discrimination has occurred, we will try to settle the charge. If we aren’t successful, we have the authority to file a lawsuit to protect the rights of individuals and the interests of the public. We do not, however, file lawsuits in all cases where we find discrimination.

Federal Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Laws
Prohibited Practices
Contacting the EEOC
EEOC Field Offices and Jurisdictional Map

1615 M Street, NW Washington, DC 20419

Phone: (202) 653-7200/ Toll-Free: (800) 209-8960 V/TDD: (800) 877-8339 Fax: (202) 653-7130 Additional Contact Information: Official Contact page E-Mail: mspb@mspb.gov Website: www.mspb.gov

Agency Information/Mission: The mission of the MSPB is to “Protect the Merit System Principles and promote an effective Federal workforce free of Prohibited Personnel Practices.” MSPB’s vision is “A highly qualified, diverse Federal workforce that is fairly and effectively managed, providing excellent service to the American people.” MSPB’s organizational values are Excellence, Fairness, Timeliness, and Transparency. More about MSPB can obtained from MSPB’s Strategic Plan. MSPB carries out its statutory responsibilities and authorities primarily by adjudicating individual employee appeals and by conducting merit systems studies. In addition, MSPB reviews the significant actions of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to assess the degree to which those actions may affect merit.

See USA.gov for information on each state.

This page provides answers to the following questions:

Will a lawyer charge me for an initial consultation? If so, how much?

Some do, some don’t. It may also depend on whether you were referred to the lawyer through a referral service that has a special arrangement with that lawyer for a lower consultation rate. Many lawyers charge their regular hourly rates for a consultation, calculated in tenths of an hour (six-minute intervals) or quarter-hours. Others have a special, lower rate just for consultations.

Sometimes a lawyer will ask a flat fee regardless of the length of the consultation; a few give free consultations, but they usually are very selective about whom they see for a consultation. Free consultations are rare because employment cases are very difficult to evaluate and also very difficult to win, and often a consultation is all the individual needs in order to learn his or her rights and decide what to do.

Ask about the consultation fee before you make the appointment. Also ask whether the fee needs to be paid at the time of the consultation, and whether checks or credit cards are accepted.

Do I still have to pay the consultation fee if the lawyer tells me I don’t have a case?

You can expect to pay the consultation fee even if the lawyer tells you that you have no case. You are paying for the information and advice you get, and it can be very valuable to hear this early, before you spend a lot of time, money, and energy on a case you are not likely to win.

How does my lawyer get paid if I retain (hire) one?

Again, there are many different arrangements possible, depending on the individual attorney’s practices. The main types of arrangements are:

• hourly
• contingency; and
• modified contingency

How does paying my attorney by the hour work?

The attorney asks for a retainer fee up front, which represents an advance against expected fees and costs. Depending on what the attorney is retained to do and how much it is expected to cost, the retainer fee may be a few hundred dollars or it may be much larger, in the thousands or even tens of thousands.

How does paying my attorney on a contingency basis work?

The term contingency means that the lawyer’s fee is contingent upon recovering some money for you, through winning or settling your case. If the lawyer is unsuccessful and you get nothing, your lawyer also gets nothing. A common contingency fee is 1/3 of whatever you receive, after any out-of-pocket expenses are paid back to whoever advanced them.

What is a modified contingency arrangement?

There are different structures, but the general idea is a reduced hourly rate, and then an enhancement if the lawyer gets a recovery for you, and no enhancement if she does not. For example:

• The attorney may charge half their usual hourly rate; the other half is contingent upon a recovery for you, and if the lawyer gets nothing for you, the 50% rate is all you pay.
• On the other hand, if they do recover something for you, they will take the other 50% of the hourly rate from the recovery, plus a ‘bonus’ of 20% of the net recovery after fees, to compensate them for the risk of not getting fully paid.
• Another version might involve charging full hourly rates with a cap of $5,000 or $10,000, and 10% or 15% of anything recovered above a certain amount.
• Another, in an appropriate case, might be a flat fee to negotiate an employment contract or a severance agreement.

There are many other possibilities. Make sure you understand what your lawyer is proposing and how it would work if you settle, if you win, and if you get nothing.

If I win my case, how will my lawyer’s fees be paid, and who will pay them?

Where civil rights statutes generally give the court discretion in whether or not to award a prevailing plaintiff attorney’s fees, the Fair Labor Standards Act mandates this award. This fee-shifting provision requires that if the plaintiff wins a lawsuit under the FLSA, his “reasonable attorney’s fees” must be paid by the employer or other entity that was found to be at fault. The purpose of this provision is to enable people to get competent representation even if they are not rich, and even if they could not find lawyers to represent them on contingency because the amount at stake is not large enough. Lawyers who take these cases, in which they help individuals enforce the civil rights laws, are considered “private attorneys-general.”

How will I receive the attorney fees from the other side?

When the lawsuit is over and you have won, your attorney will file with the court an application for attorneys’ fees. The application has to include his time records and an affidavit describing his relevant legal experience and justifying his hourly rate. The application must calculate the fees based on an hourly rate multiplied by the number of hours, regardless of what kind of arrangement you have with your lawyer – even if it is pure contingency.

The defendant’s lawyers will do their best to reduce the amount the court will decide to award, attacking your fee application by arguing that your attorney’s hourly rate is too high, he was inefficient, he did not have to assign so many associate lawyers to do a given task, or your case was only partly successful. The judge will usually reduce the fee application somewhat. The defendant then has to pay the final amount to you or to your lawyer, depending upon whether you have already paid your lawyer.

Is it possible for my lawyer to get more money than I do from the lawsuit?

Yes. It is not unheard of for the lawyer representing you to receive more money than you do. This is because your lawyer’s fee is based on how many hours he or she worked to win your case, while your recovery is based on what you lost as a result of discrimination or other wrongful conduct by your employer. If your damages are low, but your lawyers had to work long and hard to get them for you, they may receive more than you do. Any other rule would discourage competent counsel from taking cases with relatively low damages or working hard to win them.

Do I have to pay taxes on the fees that my lawyer receives?

Ultimately, no. The law has recently been changed so that although you initially pay taxes on your attorney’s fees (they are considered non-wage income to you and should be reported on a Form 1099), you can then deduct them when you file your income tax return.

If I lose my case, how will my lawyer get paid?

That depends on your retainer arrangement with your lawyer. If she is to be paid on an hourly fee basis, you are responsible for any fees still due. If she is to be paid on pure contingency, you are responsible only for any out-of-pocket costs that your lawyer advanced, but you do not owe any fee. If there was some other arrangement, it will govern.

If I can’t afford the fees, what about companies that ‘invest’ in my lawsuit and pay the costs and fees, then get paid back only if and when I win?

Some of these companies may not be reputable. You can contact your local Better Business Bureau, but if the company you are asking about has been the subject of complaints and changed its name, the BBB may not have information about it. Ask the company for references and call the references before making the commitment to go this route.

If I lose a lawsuit, will I have to pay the fees for the other side’s lawyers?

If your lawsuit was not frivolous, meaning completely without merit and brought just to harass the defendant, you will not have to pay the other side’s attorneys, even if you lose.

Is any of this different if my case is a class action?

Class actions are always brought only on a contingency fee basis. Class members do not ordinarily have to contribute to attorneys’ fees or costs before settlement or judgment.

If a lot of work has to be done before the lawsuit starts – initial consultation and strategy conferences, an EEOC charge, or settlement negotiations that fail – and then I file a lawsuit and win, can I get paid back for all the fees and costs that were spent on the preliminary work?

Generally, yes. There may be a question of whether the preliminary work was necessary, but work done in the EEOC before bringing a federal lawsuit is clearly necessary, since filing a charge with the EEOC and getting a Notice of Right to Sue is required before you can file a lawsuit in federal court alleging discrimination based upon sex, race, age, religion, or national origin.

If I have a lawsuit with a number of different claims and win on only some of them, does it affect the attorneys’ fees I can recover from the defendant?

If you do not succeed on all your claims, it may well affect the fees that are recoverable. If you recover nothing for yourself except “nominal” damages such as $1 for hurt feelings, there is a real risk that you may not be granted any attorneys’ fees at all from the defendant. Although the calculation of fees should not be based on a formula, there are some cases in which courts have apportioned the fees based on the proportion of successful claims to unsuccessful claims. For instance, if your lawsuit had five claims and you prevailed on only two, such a decision would grant you only two-fifths of the fees requested – perhaps with further reductions for inefficiency, supposedly inflated hour rates, etc. There are other cases in which courts have even cut the attorneys’ fees they award because the plaintiff sought large damages but obtained only a smaller amount.

If I have a 1/3 contingency retainer arrangement with my attorney, can I get her fees paid based on the same method, rather than hourly, after I win my lawsuit?

No. A court will grant attorneys’ fees, to be paid by the losing defendant after you win, only on an hourly basis. If the hourly total is more than 1/3 of your recovery, the attorney is paid in full and you keep your full recovery. If the hourly fees granted are less than 1/3 of your recovery, the attorney receives the amount granted by the court, and any shortfall between that and 1/3 of your recovery comes out of your recovery – unless you and your lawyer have made a different arrangement in your retainer agreement.

If my lawyer and I part company before I win my lawsuit, do I still have to pay him?

The retainer agreement might say that under some circumstances you owe your lawyer nothing. On the other hand, it might say that if you discharge him without a good reason, or if he withdraws from representing you because you are not cooperating or following his advice, he is entitled to the full hourly value of the time he spent on your case, even if you would otherwise pay him only on contingency. Read the retainer agreement carefully.

My lawsuit ended up settling fairly quickly, but the fees my lawyer charged me still ended up being high. Do I have to pay?

Furthermore, make sure that everything you are being billed for was agreed to in the retainer agreement and to ask as many questions about your bill as you want. If your lawyer is billing you by the hour, you have a right to know how those hours were spent.

Due to some unexpected money problems I do not think I will be able to afford my attorney’s fees. What should I do?

As soon as you know you have a potential issue with paying your attorney’s fees you should tell your lawyer. Many lawyers will attempt to work out a payment plan that works for you under your new circumstances, but some will want to get out of your case if they cannot be paid the agreed upon fee. If you do need to change lawyers it is better to do so earlier rather than later in a case. It will not do you any good to keep your problems a secret from your lawyer as they are like any other professional and have legal rights to be paid the agreed amount for work done.

Yon aksyon klas travay rive lè yon patwon te mal yon gwo gwoup anplwaye oswa aplikan yo. Pou senplifye ak vitès ka a, tout pwosè yo mete ansanm nan yon aksyon klas. Menm si aksyon klas yo pi vit pase gen yon jijman pou chak pwosè endividyèl, yon aksyon klas an mwayèn pran pi lontan ak depans plis pase yon pwosè tipik. Genyen tou anpil règleman aksyon klas espesifik yo swiv. Pou aprann plis sou aksyon klas ak dwa ou ki gen rapò ak aksyon klas, li anba a:

Ki sa ki se yon aksyon klas travay?

Li se yon pwosè pa yon ti gwoup moun (yo rele Plenn/ Class Reprezantan) sou non yon pi gwo gwoup moun. Nan yon aksyon klas travay, w ap eseye pwouve ke aksyon yo nan patwon an nan diskriminasyon kont gwoup la pi piti se tipik nan diskriminasyon an fè fas a pa pi gwo gwoup moun, akòz yon faktè komen tankou ras yo, laj, sèks, orijin nasyonal, etnisite, elatriye.

Aksyon klas yo esansyèl pou ranfòsman lwa dwa sivil nasyon nou an, depi yo souvan sèl fason ke anplwaye endividyèl yo ka difisil diskriminasyon. Avèk yon aksyon klas, yon pwosè ka vindicate dwa yon gwoup moun ki pi gwo kote pa gen okenn moun oswa avoka yo pral otreman gen ase yon ankourajman ekonomik pou pote kostim poukont yo. Sa asire ke lwa kont diskriminasyon ak lwa dwa sivil yo adekwatman ranfòse.

Paske pwosè aksyon klas yo te tèlman reyisi nan pwoteje enterè anplwaye yo ak konsomatè yo, biznis yo ak patwon yo te goumen tounen nan fason yo nan ki aksyon klas yo te pote, sa ki lakòz pasaj la 2005 nan sa yo rele "Lwa sou Aksyon San Patipri." Lwa sa a te deplase anpil aksyon nan men leta nan tribinal federal, kote li te istorikman pi difisil pou travayè yo genyen.

Ki jan yon aksyon klas diferan pase yon ka diskriminasyon endividyèl?

Yon aksyon klas pral pran plis tan pou jwenn jijman pase yon ka endividyèl paske li mande pou yon desizyon "osi bonè ke posib" nan si yon klas ka konsève. Sa vle di nan pifò ka ke envestigasyon an konsènan reklamasyon klas yo dwe fèt an premye (jeneralman soti nan kat a uit mwa). Se sèlman apre yon desizyon sou reklamasyon klas la pral yon envestigasyon ak yon jijman rive konsènan reklamasyon endividyèl ou.

Ki sa tribinal yo mande pou yo ka pote kòm yon aksyon klas?

Règleman 23 nan Règleman Federal pwosedi sivil la, ki se seri a nan règleman gouvène aksyon klas federal, mande pou:

• That the class be so numerous that joinder of all members is impracticable;
• That there be questions of laws and fact that are common to the claims of the class representatives and the class;
• That the claims or defenses of the class representatives be typical of the claims or defenses available to the class members; and,
• That the class representatives will fairly and adequately protect the interests of the class.

èske pa gen lòt kondisyon espesyal nan aksyon klas travay yo?

Yes. In employment cases, the plaintiffs must prove that they meet one of two additional rules under Federal Rule 23(b), either that:

• The party opposing the certification of a class action has acted or refused to act on grounds generally applicable to the class, making final injunctive or corresponding declaratory relief appropriate for the class as a whole; or,
• The questions of law or fact common to the members of the class predominate over any questions affecting only individual members; and,
• That it be found that a class action is superior to other available methods for the fair and efficient determination of the controversy.

Konbyen moun ki nesesè pou satisfè kondisyon legal yo pou yon aksyon klas?

The law requires that the class “be so numerous that joinder of all members is impracticable,” which means the employer’s illegal conduct must have affected enough employees or applicants for hire that joining all of them together, and then presenting before the court evidence of each of their separate factual and legal claims, is not practical.

How many is that?

Pa gen okenn nimewo egzak nan moun ou dwe genyen anvan ou ka depoze yon aksyon klas. Sepandan, kòm yon règ jeneral, mwens pase 20 moun se pa ase pou yon aksyon klas ak plis pase 50 moun se prèske toujou ase. Ant 20 ak 50 moun kapab yon zòn gri, tou depann de faktè tankou:

Ki kote moun ki afekte yo jewografikman sitiye; E

Ki jan fasil li se idantifye tout moun ki potansyèlman afekte nan tan lontan an oswa ta ka afekte nan tan kap vini an pa aksyon travay diskriminatwa patwon an.

What does the law mean when it says that “the questions of law and fact must be common to the claims of the class representative and the class?”

Sa vle di ke tou de reprezantan klas yo ak pi gwo klas la pwopoze nan tribinal la dwe prezante sibstansyèlman menm kesyon legal ak reyèl kòm youn ak lòt, se konsa ke yon sèl detèminasyon tribinal ta ka rezoud tout oswa pi fò nan pwoblèm legal ak reyèl nan ka a.

What does the law mean when it says that “the claims or defenses of the class representatives must be typical of the claims or defenses available to the class members?”

Sa vle di ke kalite pwosè ak defans li yo ke reprezantan klas yo ta pote kont patwon an se menm jan ak pwosè a ke lòt manm nan pi gwo klas la ta ka pote tou, se konsa ke yon desizyon konsènan reprezantan klas yo pral obligatwa sou ak aplikab a reklamasyon yo nan manm klas yo.

Ki sa lalwa vle di lè li di ke reprezantan klas yo dwe san patipri ak byen pwoteje enterè klas la?

Sa vle di ke yon detèminasyon nan favè reprezantan klas yo pral benefisye tou nan enterè yo nan pi gwo klas la ki enplike, epi kouvri pwoblèm tankou:

• Pa ka gen okenn "aktyèl" konfli enterè ant reprezantan klas yo ak manm klas yo. (Sepandan, anplwayè a dwe pwouve egzistans aktyèl la nan yon konfli enterè, menm jan li pa ase pou patwon an senpleman pretann yon konfli potansyèl nan enterè.);
• Reprezantan klas yo dwe goumen pou asire yo ke soulajman apwopriye a bay pou yo ak rès manm klas yo;
• Reprezantan klas yo dwe anboche konsèy legal konpetan yo abitye avèk aksyon klas yo pou reprezante enterè yo ak sa yo ki nan klas la.

Kisa lwa a vle di lè li di ke pati a opoze sètifikasyon yon aksyon klas te aji oswa refize aji sou teren jeneralman aplikab a klas la, kidonk fè dènye enjonktif oswa korespondans sekou ki apwopriye pou klas la kòm yon antye?

Sa vle di ke patwon an te fè oswa refize fè yon bagay an vyolasyon lwa a ki jeneralman afekte pi gwo gwoup manm klas yo, se konsa ke yon pwosè aksyon klas ta pèmèt tribinal la nan yon sèl jijman ranje pwoblèm nan pou tout moun si plenyen yo pwouve ka yo. An tèm de rezoud pwoblèm nan, tribinal la dwe kapab bay yon entèdiksyon, ki se yon lòd dirije patwon an pou sispann konduit ilegal li yo, ki rezoud pwoblèm nan, olye ke sèlman ke yo te kapab remèd pwoblèm nan pa bay chak domaj lajan klas.

What does the law mean when it says that the questions of law or fact common to the members of the class must predominate over any questions affecting only individual class members? 

This means that the legal and factual questions that affect everybody are more common than the legal and factual questions affecting only a few people, so a mass determination of the legal and factual issues would be preferable to many individual cases. It is similar to the requirement discussed in question 5 in requiring that a common claim be shared by all class members, but it goes further to require that the common claims predominate over any individual issues. The rule does not require that every issue in the claim be common; rather, it requires that there be substantial common issues which predominate over individual ones.

Ki sa lwa a vle di lè li di ke yon aksyon klas ta dwe siperyè lòt metòd ki disponib pou jis la ak efikasite nan konfli a?

Sa vle di ke si ou ka deside nan yon sèl aksyon menm pwoblèm yo ki ta dwe eseye nan dè santèn de esè endividyèl repetitif, aksyon klas la pral lakòz yon ekonomi enpòtan nan tan jidisyè ak resous (ke yo rele tou ekonomi jidisyè) epi yo pral anpeche jijman konsistan, se konsa se Poutèt sa yon siperyè metòd ki disponib pou deside ka yo. Anplis, kote ou gen anpil manm klas ki te soufri ti pèt, diminye chans pou yo te kapab peye pou yo ale nan tribinal endivyèn kont patwon akize a, yon aksyon klas se yon fason ki jis pou asire lwa yo kont diskriminasyon ka ranfòse.

Ki etap yo divès kalite nan yon ka aksyon klas?

Premye etap nan yon aksyon klas se envestigasyon an, ki rele dekouvèt. Sa a jeneralman enplike nan demann pa moun ki nan lis kòm yo te rele plenn / reprezantan klas yo ka resevwa done òdinatè soti nan akize a. Done yo dwe Lè sa a, dwe analize pa yon ekspè estatistik pou enpak disparèt (nan lòt mo, yo wè si aksyon yo nan diskriminasyon akize kont plenn yo ak klas la). Pral gen tou nòmalman depozisyon (entèvyou ki anrejistre pa yon repòtè tribinal, men se pa enplike yon jij) nan konpayi ofisyèl konsènan pwosedi yo ke yo te defye pa plenn yo, epi pafwa, yon Endistriyèl ak Òganizasyonèl sikològ yo itilize si yon tès ekri ki enplike.

Apre dekouvèt la fini, ki gen ladan ranpli tout rapò ekspè ki apwopriye ak mosyon pou ak kont sètifikasyon klas, Tribinal la Lè sa a, ordinaly gen swa yon odyans oswa jis agiman oral konsènan sètifikasyon klas. Apre yo fin dirije sou sètifikasyon klas la, Tribinal la etabli yon lòt konferans orè pou detèmine tan an yo dwe pèmèt pou dekouvèt konsènan merit yo nan klas la ak reklamasyon endividyèl (si Tribinal la akòde sètifikasyon klas) oswa merit yo nan reklamasyon endividyèl la sèlman (si yo te refize sètifikasyon klas la).

Yon fwa ke dekouvèt sa a fini, akize a ap gen opòtinite pou avanse pou pi pou jijman rezime, ki se yon pwosesis kote akize a ka mande pou Tribinal la rejte ka a olye pou yo te eseye anvan yon jiri. Si yo refize jijman rezime, lè sa a yon jijman sou merit yo ap swiv.

Konbyen tan aksyon klas yo dire kòm konpare ak ka pou plenn endividyèl?

Aksyon klas yo nòmalman dire pi lontan pase ka endividyèl paske gen dekouvèt ki gen rapò ak reklamasyon klas yo, mosyon ke yon tribinal dwe regle sou pou oswa kont sètifikasyon klas, epi pafwa yon odyans sètifikasyon klas oswa oral ke tout dwe rive anvan ou jwenn dekouvèt ak yon jijman sou reklamasyon endividyèl ou. Tipikman, ka klas yo pral dire yon ane oswa de pi long pase yon ka endividyèl.

Ki remèd ki disponib pou mwen nan yon aksyon klas travay?

Under the present law, it is very hard for plaintiffs to receive compensatory and punitive damages because the court will not normally certify a class if there are going to be individualized determinations of damages for each class representative and class member. As a result, most class actions now seek only back pay and interest and injunctive relief.

I have been asked if I would be willing to be a “class representative” in a class action case. If I agree, what are my duties and responsibilities?

Reprezantan klas yo nan yon aksyon klas pa sèlman reprezante tèt yo, men yo dwe tou adekwatman ak byen reprezante enterè yo nan lòt manm yo nan klas la nan tou de lajan an yo dwe peye soti ak chanjman ki dwe fèt pa patwon an nan fason li fè biznis (yo rele "soulajman enjonktif"). Reprezantan klas yo pa ka itilize pozisyon yo pou peye tèt yo plis lajan oswa pou yo jwenn plis rekonpans pou tèt yo nan depans klas la.

Reprezantan Klas yo jeneralman oblije ede avèk dekouvèt la ki fèt nan ka a, ki gen ladan reponn kesyon ekri pa akize a (yo rele entèwogatwa) ak bay repons pou kesyon anba sèman anvan yon repòtè tribinal (yo rele yon depozisyon). Anplis de sa, byenke anpil kabinè avoka kounye a peye depans litij aktyèl la, yon reprezantan klas dwe prepare pou peye pousantaj li nan depans litij la si yo rele sou pou fè sa.

Kòm yon rezilta, menm si ka w la ap okipe sou yon baz contenency, ou jeneralman yo pral oblije peye kèk kantite lajan yo dwe fèt nan konfyans nan direksyon depans yo nan ka a. Lajan sa a pral ranbouse ou si ou genyen oswa rezoud ka a. Reprezantan klas yo ka oblije vwayaje nan depans yo nan plas kote pwosè a te depoze, katye jeneral antrepriz la, oswa kèk lòt kote mityèlman pratik gen depozisyon yo pran, epi si pwosè a pèdi, ta ka responsab pou pousantaj depans yo nan litij.

Gen plizyè nan kòlèg travay mwen yo ki ta vle rantre nan mwen nan pote yon ka aksyon klas kont patwon nou an. Ki jan nou kòmanse si nou panse nou ka gen yon bon ka?

Premye a, ak pi enpòtan, etap nan pwosesis sa a se jwenn yon kabinè avoka ki te okipe sa a kalite travay anvan yo ka konseye ou ak ko-travayè ou nan fòs ka ou.

Mwen jis resevwa yon avi ke mwen se yon manm nan yon klas nan yon pwosè kont patwon mwen. Kisa pou mwen fè?

Li Avi a ak anpil atansyon jan li pral di ou sa pou fè. Lè sa a, pale ak yon kabinè avoka ki te okipe aksyon klas pou ou pral konnen fòs pozisyon ou ak sa dwa ou yo ye.

Mwen pa vle patisipe nan yon pwosè aksyon klas ki te depoze. Kisa pou mwen fè pou eskli tèt mwen nan ka a?

Notifye Tribinal la oswa Administratè Klas la, jan sa tabli nan avi a, ke ou pa vle vin yon pati nan ka a epi yo pa vle okenn nan lajan an ki ka dwe ou.

Mwen pa vle patisipe nan yon aksyon klas ki te ranpli kont patwon mwen, paske mwen te planifye pou depoze pwòp pwosè mwen kont konpayi an. Èske mwen oblije vin yon manm nan klas la?

Repons kesyon sa a depann de kijan ka w la sètifye, kòm yon klas B-2 oswa yon klas B-3.

Yon klas B-2 apwopriye kote yon patwon te aji kont yon klas moun e konsa, chanjman nan konpayi an (sekou enjonktif) nesesè. Si yon klas B-2 sètifye epi Tribinal la apwouve pwopozisyon an règleman an, ou pa kapab pouswiv pwòp ka pa w.

Yon klas B-3 se apwopriye kote gen pwoblèm travay ki afekte yon klas ki domine sou pwoblèm ki afekte manm endividyèl nan klas la, ak nan adisyon, yon aksyon klas se mwayen ki pi efikas pou adrese pwoblèm yo. Si yon klas B-3 sètifye, lè sa a ou ka patisipe-soti nan ka a epi pouswiv pwòp ka pa ou.

Yon kabinè avoka a abitye avèk ka aksyon klas ka enfòme ou sou ki jan ka a te sètifye.

Mwen te yon manm nan yon klas ki te sètifye pa tribinal la. Mwen te resevwa avi sou regleman pwopoze a, e mwen pa panse ke li se yon kontra trè bon. Èske mwen ka objè a regleman an?

As a practical matter, if you are just upset with the amount of money you are to receive according to the class settlement, you will find it difficult to get the settlement overturned unless there is some major problem with the overall settlement.

I have heard a lot about class action lawyers making lots of money in class action settlements. How do I find out what the lawyers are getting paid?

Kantite lajan ke avoka yo dwe resevwa yo pral tabli nan Avi Klas la voye ba ou.

Most class actions take two to five years, thousands of man hours, and often from $500,000 to $1,000,000 in cash to bring to court, all of which are generally funded by the law firm representing the plaintiffs and class.

Since most plaintiffs in employment class actions are not wealthy and cannot afford to pay their attorneys by the hour, these cases are often handled on a contingency fee basis, meaning the attorneys pay these large costs over many years and only get paid if they win or settle your case. Finally, the probability of success on any employment class case is generally no better than fifty percent.

Pou tout rezon sa yo, frè ak depans pou kabinè avoka a manyen yon aksyon klas ka souvan byen gwo, men yo nan pifò ka merite.

Mwen tande ke tribinal la te apwouve règleman an nan ka aksyon klas la nan ki mwen se yon pati. Konbyen tan sa ap pran m pou m resevwa peman regleman mwen an?

Avi pou Aksyon Klas la ap di ou lè Odyans jistis la, lè Tribinal la ap apwouve oswa dezapwouve regleman pwopoze a, ap rive. Apre Odyans jistis la, Tribinal la ap bay yon Lòd Final apwouve oswa dezapwouve règleman aksyon klas la (swa jou odyans lan oswa jeneralman nan trant jou odyans lan). Si pa gen apèl nan lòd final Tribinal la, peman yo pou manm klas yo ap fèt nan 30 a 60 jou apre moman pou fè apèl kont lòd final Tribinal la pase.

The purpose of damages is to put an employee back in same place they would have been if it weren’t for the employer’s actions or inaction. There are several ways a court tries to do this, including back pay, front pay, and punitive damages. To learn more about damages and your rights related to damages, read below:

If I win my case, what will I receive?

The damages a court can award depend on the type of claim. Damages include all of the financial and emotional losses a person suffers as the result of an employment dispute. The purpose of a damages award is generally to put the individual back into the same place they would have been had they not lost their job. In most state and federal discrimination cases, the employee is entitled to receive the following types of damages: back pay; front pay; lost benefits such as health, vacation, sick leave, and pension; reinstatement; reasonable accommodations; and compensatory and punitive damages.

Will I be able to receive all of the back pay that I would have earned had I not lost my job?

Back pay and benefits are among the types of damages most typically awarded in successful employment cases. Back pay includes all of the wages, salary, bonuses, commissions, and benefits lost because of an unlawful dismissal or discrimination, minus any amount the employee was able to earn in the interim.

Back pay includes much more than your salary or wages. It includes interest, overtime, shift differentials, and raises you would have received. The value of employer-provided housing lost because of the discrimination is part of a back pay award. Back pay is calculated from the date of the discrimination or job loss to the date of the court’s decision.

Will I be able to receive all of the benefits that I would have earned had I not lost my job?

All of the benefits an individual lost because of the discrimination or unlawful action are included in the amount of back pay. For example, you should be paid for unused earned vacation time plus vacation time accrued up to the court’s decision. If your company allots a certain number of sick days per year, you are entitled to the value for the number of unused sick days you have earned. If the company pays for health or life insurance benefits, you should receive the value of the premiums or benefits the company would have paid had you continued to be employed. Your former employer may also be required to pay any unreimbursed medical expenses which would have been covered by the employer’s health plan.

Back pay also includes all forms of pension benefits that you have earned or accrued. Adjustment to pension benefits made during the time period of your case would also be included. Essentially, anything that was part of the compensation and benefits provided by your employer may be part of the back pay award.

Can I get my job back?

Reinstating employees into the jobs they lost is the preferred remedy by courts in discrimination cases, and may be a remedy in other kinds of cases as well. Sometimes, however, courts will not order reinstatement because of the now-hostile relationship between the former employer and employee, or because there is no longer a job available.

I am returning to my job and my employer has to make reasonable accommodations for me. However, what exactly are “reasonable accommodations?”

What qualifies as a “reasonable accommodation” depends on the employer. A reasonable accommodation is anything that enables a disabled employee to do their job and does not create an undue hardship for the employer. An undue hardship varies depending on the size and structure of the employer and the difficulty of providing the accommodation.”

What damages can I get if I’m not reinstated to my job?

If a court believes that reinstatement is not appropriate given the circumstances, it generally awards “front pay,” which is the amount of compensation and benefits the court views necessary to make up for the difference in pay that the employee would have earned in the future. The amount of front pay depends on how long the court finds it will take the employee to return to the same level of pay that he had when he was terminated. Front pay includes all lost benefits, just as back pay does.

What are “compensatory” damages?

The purpose behind compensatory money damages is that they are intended to make you “whole.” Compensatory damages are also called actual damages. In employment cases, they refer to the damages that are harder to measure, such as the following:

• Emotional distress
• Pain and suffering (such as grief, fright, anxiety, humiliation, and depression)
• Permanent disability
• Mental impairment
• Medical bills

In employment discrimination cases brought under the federal anti-discrimination law, Title VII, the compensatory and punitive damages (but not back pay) that a jury could award to plaintiffs for discrimination are capped. If the employer has:

• 15-100 employees, the cap is $50,000
• 101-200 employees, the cap is $100,000
• 201-500 employees, the cap is $200,000
• 500 employees and up, the cap is $300,000

Other types of cases, and cases brought under some state laws may not be subject to these caps, however.

What are “punitive” damages?

Punitive damages are damages awarded in cases of malicious wrongdoing to punish or deter the wrongdoer or deter others from behaving similarly. In employment cases, punitive damages are designed to punish the employer and make it an example for others, where it can be shown that the employer intentionally discriminated with malice or reckless indifference.

Despite a popular misconception, the employer’s conduct need not be “egregious” to allow an award of punitive damages. It is not the seriousness of an employer’s conduct that governs whether punitive damages will be awarded, but its intentions: did the employer “discriminate in the face of a perceived risk that its actions will violate federal law.” Put simply: did the employer know that a particular action was discrimination that was against the law, and still decide to do it anyway?

Employers who adopt an anti-discrimination policy, effectively enforce the policy, and thoroughly document the policy’s strict enforcement may use the policy as a “good-faith” defense against punitive damage awards, as well as decrease the likelihood that discriminatory conduct will occur in the first place.

Punitive damages are not available against the federal, state or local governments, but only against private employers. Punitive damages are very rarely awarded by courts. Many employers choose to settle cases in which their exposure to punitive damages is significant, to avoid the potentially large financial liability as well as the negative publicity resulting from a public award of punitive damages imposed by a jury.

However, when punitive damages are awarded, the amount can be significant. As discussed in the previous question, the combination of punitive and compensatory damages is capped in federal discrimination cases under Title VII according to the employer’s size. These caps may not apply, however, to cases brought under laws other than Title VII, including other federal and state laws.

What are “liquidated” damages?

Liquidated damages are a type of punitive damages, where the penalty amount for a proven violation of a law or a contract provision is designated in advance.

Under the law, a penalty amount such as “double damages” or “treble damages” is a common liquidated damages penalty. For example, while the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) and the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) do not provide for punitive damages, liquidated damages of up to twice the amount of back pay may be awarded in the event of a “willful” violation, if the employee proves that employer knowingly violated the ADEA or acted in “reckless disregard” of its provisions, or willfully violated the FLSA.

Liquidated damages provisions are also common in contracts. For example, if you settle your lawsuit against your employer with a confidentiality provision, which requires you to keep the amount and certain facts about the resolution of your case a secret, the settlement agreement may have a liquidated damages clause which requires you to pay the employer a pre-designated amount for violating the agreement.

Although a liquidated damages provision eliminates the need to prove damages of a particular amount, if the liquidated damages amount is unreasonable and excessive when compared to the damage for which it was designed to compensate, it may be declared void.

Do I have to look for another job while my case is in court?

Yes. In employment cases, you must make a good faith effort to reduce the money that you have lost in wages because your former employer caused you to lose your job. As a discharged worker, you have two obligations:

• to make reasonable efforts to find employment, and
• to accept employment of a “like nature,” if offered.

If the other side can convince the judge or jury that you did not do what was reasonable, you could win your case, but still be awarded only one dollar (called “nominal damages”). However, if you did reasonably look for other work, you will not be denied damages for lost wages just because your efforts were unsuccessful and even if your efforts could have been “more exhaustive.” For more information, see our site’s page on mitigation.

I’ve heard about multi-million dollar awards in cases. How is that possible?

Multi-million dollar awards are rare in discrimination cases. They can happen in class actions where the claims of many employees are combined or in cases involving highly paid executives. For more information, see the the information under “How do I value my case?” section under Protect Your Rights.

In most cases, employees who have lost their jobs due to discrimination are entitled to their lost wages and benefits. Employees can also seek punitive and compensatory damages in cases alleging discrimination based on race, sex, religion, national origin, color, creed, or disability under Title VII. The employee must prove that the employer engaged in a discriminatory practice with “malice or with reckless disregard” for the employee’s rights. Intentional actions by an employer causing the embarrassment, mental distress or humiliation of a person because of race or sex will support an award of punitive damages. An employer’s failure to take action to protect employees from racial or ethnic slurs of fellow employees can also entitle the employee to punitive damages. As referenced above, there are dollar limits on the amount of punitive and compensatory damages that can be awarded in cases alleging discrimination based on race, sex, religion, national origin, color, creed, or disability under Title VII.

In cases under the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) and the Equal Pay Act, individuals who win their cases and can prove that the discrimination was “willful” can get liquidated damages, which is double the back pay award. Employees alleging retaliation under the ADEA can also get compensatory damages. 

If I win, are my attorneys’ fees covered?

Yes. Under the federal discrimination laws and most state laws, the employer must pay your attorneys’ reasonable fees if you prevail in your case.  However, if you lose, a court would not order you to pay the employer’s attorneys’ fees and expenses unless your claim was frivolous and wholly without merit. The employer could recover its court costs, including the expenses for depositions, which can total thousands of dollars.

It may take years to recover the income lost from the discrimination I suffered. Is there any other compensation to make up for those losses?

Yes, courts typically award prejudgment interest as an essential part of the back pay award. Prejudgment interest serves to compensate for the loss of the use of money you would have had absent the discrimination or loss of your job. The courts have substantial discretion in the calculation of prejudgment interest, including the interest rates to apply and the manner of compounding the interest.

Do I have to pay taxes on the damages I receive?

The entire damages award is subject to federal taxes to be paid by the individual, except for the portions allocated to prejudgment interest and attorneys’ fees. (The attorney pays taxes on his or her fees.) However, back pay under some state laws is not taxable.

Si w ap rele anplwayè w la oswa ansyen patwon w lan ou ka sezi aprann ou gen yon obligasyon pou minimize (redwi) domaj yo nan tèt ou epi, kòm yon rezilta, konbyen anplwayè w la ap dwe ou. Si w pèdi travay ou, fòk ou fè yon bon efò pou w jwenn yon travay ki akseptab, epi si w blese nan travay la, ou dwe chèche tretman medikal touswit. Sepandan, ou pa oblije pran jis nenpòt òf travay epi yo pa kapab travay ankò pa pral konte kont ou. Pou aprann plis sou atansyon ak dwa ou ki gen rapò ak atitid, li anba a:

What does “mitigation” mean?

Whenever anyone has a legal claim against another, they have a duty to mitigate damages. That means you have to do what you can to minimize the damages. If you are hurt in a traffic accident, you have to take reasonable steps to get your injuries treated promptly. If you refuse to get medical help, and that refusal caused your injuries to get worse, the other driver will not be liable for the injuries you could have prevented. Similarly, if a warehouse ships lemons instead of apples, the grocer has to do the best they can with the lemons to lessen the claim against the warehouse. Lemonade anyone?

Do I have to look for a job once I’ve lost mine?

Yes. In employment cases, you must make a good faith effort to reduce the money that you have lost in wages because your former employer caused you to lose your job. As a discharged worker, you have two obligations:

• fè efò rezonab pou jwenn travay; E
• aksepte travay nan yon 'tankou nati,' si yo ofri.

Si lòt bò a ka konvenk jij la oswa jiri ke ou pa t fè sa ki te rezonab, ou ta ka genyen ka w la, men toujou dwe bay yon sèl dola (yo rele "domaj nominal"). Sepandan, si ou te rezonabman gade pou lòt travay, ou pa pral refize domaj pou salè pèdi jis paske efò ou yo te san siksè e menm si efò ou yo te kapab "plis fatigan."

Ki efè afekte domaj mwen ka refè?

When calculating the amount of back and front pay that you can be awarded in an employment case, the court must deduct any compensation earned by working from the date of the employer’s unlawful action until the date of the verdict. Also, if you are awarded compensation for loss of future earnings, the court must deduct any compensation you are likely to earn from the date of the verdict until the anticipated end of your work life.

Sepandan, jis paske kantite lajan sa a pral dedwi nan domaj ou yo pa vle di ke ou pral resevwa plis lajan si ou pa travay: doktrin nan alèz mande pou ou fè efò a.

Kijan m ka montre m eseye jwenn yon lòt travay?

Depi anplwayè yo ap gen avoka pou defèt reklamasyon w lan, ou dwe prepare w pou montre ki efò ou te fè. Sa vle di ou bezwen yon dosye ekri. Ou bezwen kenbe kopi nenpòt lèt oswa rezime ekri, ak nenpòt jounal oswa piblisite magazin pou travay ke ou pouswiv. Kenbe dokiman chomaj ou yo, menm jan papye sa yo gen yon lis patwon ou kontakte nan rechèch ou pou travay.

Li enpòtan pou kenbe yon dosye ekri sou tout efò ou fè pou jwenn yon nouvo travay. Ou ka kenbe dosye sa a nan yon jounal oswa antre ouvri sesyon an nan yon liv oswa yon pad. Si ou itilize yon òdinatè, asire w ke ou kenbe kopi backup. Pataje dosye "avoka" ou avèk avoka ou. Avoka w la kapab revize li pou bay konsèy sou si w ap anrejistre ase aktivite. Pou chak antre nan dosye ou, enkli sa ki annapre yo:

• Dat chak aktivite
• Non ak adrès patwon ou te kontakte
• Pozisyon ou te aplike pou
• Non moun ou te rankontre
• The outcome – including whether you met the job requirements, got an interview, got an offer, leads on other jobs, or some other outcome

Ou kapab anrejistre tou rejis ou ak ajans travay leta a, jounal ou li yo, ak lòt efò ou fè pou jwenn nouvo travay.

What if I can’t find an acceptable job?

Si ou resevwa ofrann nan yon lòt travay, ou pa oblije aksepte jis nenpòt travay ki ofri yo nan lòd yo satisfè devwa ou nan bese domaj ou yo.

Pou egzanp, si yo te travay kòm yon pwofesyonèl nan yon pozisyon ki peye plis pase $ 50,000 yon ane epi yo ofri benefis sibstansyèl, ou pa ta dwe oblije pran yon travay nan salè minimòm, oswa pran premye bagay ki vini ansanm. Menm jan an tou, si ki kalite pozisyon ou te kenbe a se relativman komen, nou pa okouran de nenpòt ki lwa ki ta mande pou ou fè yon rechèch nan tout peyi a pou travay oswa pran yon travay nan yon kote jeyografik byen lwen oswa endezirab.

Si ou gen nenpòt kesyon sou obligasyon ou yo si ou jwenn yon òf travay, li bon pou konsilte avoka ou anvan ou pran yon desizyon ki ta ka domaje ka w la.

Apre eksperyans mwen te ale nan nan dènye travay mwen an, mwen pare yo chanje jaden. Èske mwen oblije chèche travay nan menm jaden an mwen t ap travay lè m te pèdi travay mwen?

Nan kèk sitiyasyon, ou gen plis chans pou kapab bese domaj ou si ou pouswiv travay nan yon jaden diferan, tankou lè ou te "blackballed," oswa tan an ou te pase lwen travay la te lakòz konpetans ou nan erode.

Mwen te kenbe de travay lè mwen te kite ale. Èske salè m yo fè nan dezyèm travay mwen an pou m konsève domaj mwen yo?

Si ou te touche revni nan yon dezyèm travay anvan yo te kite yo ale, epi ou te kontinye touche menm kantite lajan an nan revni nan dezyèm travay la apre ou te kite ale, kantite lajan sa a pa ta dwe enkli nan kalkil la nan salè ou pou objektif la nan domaj kalkile.

Sepandan, si ou te itilize dezyèm travay ou pou ranfòse salè ou apre ou fin sispann, pa egzanp lè ou pran sou èdtan adisyonèl, Lè sa a, revni anplis ou touche a ap bese, oswa diminye domaj ou gen dwa a.

Pou egzanp, si ou te touche $ 200 pou chak semèn nan yon dezyèm travay anvan yo te kite yo ale epi yo te kapab ogmante salè ou a $ 600 pou chak semèn kòm yon rezilta nan ke yo te kite ale, domaj yo ou gen dwa diminye pa $ 400 pou chak semèn (salè aktyèl nan $ 600 moins salè yo anvan $ 200).

 After I was fired, I was forced to go on welfare. Is the income from public benefits included in the offset?

Anjeneral, benefis piblik tankou konpansasyon chomaj, byennèt sosyal, Koupon alimantè, elatriye, pa enkli nan kalkil salè ou epi yo pa itilize yo nan konpansasyon yon prim tounen.

Mwen te ale nan asèlman grav nan travay, ki te fè m 'pa kapab travay. Doktè mwen pa pral klè m 'tounen nan travay nan tout, depi mwen te dyagnostike ak maladi estrès pòs-twomatik. Èske mwen dwe bese domaj mwen yo?

Yon eksepsyon nan règ la ki mande ou bese domaj ou se lè ou vin pa kapab travay kòm yon rezilta nan aksyon patwon an. Sepandan, ba a mete trè wo: otreman, tout moun ki te mal sispann sispann ke li twò ensiste sou travay. Si ou gen nenpòt kesyon sou obligasyon ou yo pou bese domaj ou pandan yon peryòd lè ou pa kapab travay, ou ta dwe konsilte yon avoka.

Mwen vle sèvi ak yon tretman altènatif tankou akiponkti pou trete blesi mwen yo. èske tretman altènatif konte sou rekonpans domaj yo?

Si ou chwazi pou w itilize tretman altènatif tankou akiponkti oswa remèd holistic, ou kouri risk pou yon jij oswa jiri konsidere aksyon ou yo dwe rezonab epi, Se poutèt sa, pa yon remèd apwopriye nan domaj yo. Pou ou ka san danje ou ta dwe resevwa tretman medikal endikap nan men doktè ki gen lisans.

The vast majority of cases settle before going to trial. Settling avoids adding more legal fees to your case and the uncertainty of a trial, and allows you to move on with your life. However, before deciding to settle you should make sure it’s right for you and you should know your rights. To learn more about settlements and your rights related to them, read below.

What does it mean to “settle” a case?

In the context of an employment-related matter, it means to end a dispute with your former, current or prospective employer (referred to as “employer”). Usually this means you receive some form of “consideration” — money, non-cash benefits and occasionally an agreement to reinstate you or offer you a promotion. In exchange for this consideration, you waive, or give up the right to sue your employer, or if you have filed a lawsuit you agree to dismiss your claims.

What is a release?

A “release” is language contained in a document such as a separation agreement or a settlement agreement stating that you release your employer from all actual and potential legal claims in exchange for consideration.

I’ve just been fired. My employer is asking me to sign a release in exchange for severance payments. I haven’t even made any claims against this employer. Is this a settlement?

Yes. You may not have any legal claims against your employer, or have not thought about suing the company or organization. However, your employer wants to make sure that you don’t sue it in the future. Your separation agreement is a type of settlement, in effect. You waive your right to sue your employer in exchange for the severance payments.

How do I know if it’s worth releasing my employer from a lawsuit for the amount of money being offered?

You need to consider the particular circumstances of your situation, including whether you believe your employer has acted unlawfully. Even then, you need to examine whether the amount of money offered in exchange for your release makes your legal claims worth giving up.

Should I consult with a lawyer about whether I have legal claims and whether to accept this severance?

You may want to seek a professional opinion from an attorney before signing the agreement – particularly if you are uncomfortable doing so. This is also good advice, if you are thinking about rejecting the substantial amount of money being offered to you. In either scenario, an attorney can help analyze whether you have any legal claims and whether those claims merit rejecting the money being offered.

What happens if my employer does something illegal to me after I sign a release?

You waive only claims which have occurred up through the date you sign either a separation agreement or settlement agreement. You can still bring a lawsuit concerning any conduct or actions which your employer takes against you after that date.

Have I lost the opportunity to settle my claims against my employer if I reject the severance offer?

No. You can propose settlement to the other side at any point in an adversarial proceeding (such as a lawsuit or administrative hearing). However, depending on what is being offered as “severance,” it still may be the best option for you to settle now, rather than later. You should seriously evaluate any meaningful offer.

Why would my employer consider settling a dispute with me if I don’t threaten to take them to court?

There are many reasons: First, even if you have no claim against your employer, that employer still wants the security of knowing that won’t file claims against them in the future. Where your claims are strong, your employer may well want to minimize the risk of you going forward with a lawsuit.

My former employer has proposed that we go to mediation. won’t I give up my right to file a lawsuit if I agree to attend?

 No. Mediation is a voluntary process. You do not waive any legal rights by agreeing to try to mediate your claims – unless you settle through this process and reduce the agreement to writing. In mediation, both parties agree to explore settlement through a third party trained in facilitating resolution of conflicts.

Won’t initiating an offer to settle or go to mediation signal weakness in my case to the other side?

Your former employer may also want to resolve the case now, rather than later. It takes valuable time and often money for an employer to litigate a case in court – even if the company ultimately prevails. For some employers avoiding publicity may also be an incentive to settle early on. See the question on mediation in the Protect Your Rights section of the website for more information.

I’ve filed a lawsuit. My attorney tells me my case looks strong. Why would I want to settle if I won’t get my “day in court?”

Getting your day in court can be important part of a lawsuit. It allows you to feel heard and empowered – but that’s assuming the case proceeds as planned. Judges rule the courtroom. They control most of what evidence (good and bad for your case) the jury hears. Juries are made up of human beings who have their own views and biases. Going to trial is usually a high-risk situation because it has so many unpredictable factors which neither you nor your attorney can control. Justice does not always prevail.

How do I know if a settlement offer is reasonable—the one the employer has presented seems too low?

One way to assess an offer is to determine what the optimal value is of your case. You may be surprised to learn that, under the best-case scenario, the value is not nearly as high as you think. See our site’s page on Valuing Your Case. After realistically valuing your case, you should then discount that amount by some of the factors which can lessen its value. These include:

1. 1. • adverse evidence which is discovered through the course of litigation;
      • the court you are in;
      • the attitude and rulings of the judge;
      • who is litigating on the other side;
      • the probability of appeals even if you win at trial;
      • your financial resources; and,
      • your tolerance for prolonging the process.

 What is an offer of judgment?

An offer of judgment is a procedure (based on rules which govern lawsuits filed in court) where the other side proposes in writing an offer to have a judgment (or order to pay a specific sum of money) entered into the court docket (or record). If you accept this offer, it is entered. You can enforce this judgment just as if you won a trial and the court ordered an award in your favor.

How can I decide whether or not to accept an offer of judgment?

You need to evaluate any offer of judgment as you would a settlement at any point in your case: weigh the risks and possible gains of going forward against the offer. Rejecting an offer of judgment, however, has one additional risk: If you reject an offer of judgment and win your case at trial you can be penalized if the amount of damages awarded by a jury or judge is less than the amount of the offer of judgment. In that situation, you will not be allowed to seek payment of your attorney’s fees accrued after the date you reject the offer of judgment.

What do you mean if I reject an offer of judgment my attorneys’ fees might not be paid?

Under most civil rights laws and anti-discrimination statutes, if you prevail in your lawsuit you will be awarded reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs payable by the other side. Depending on your own fee arrangement with your lawyer, this may significantly impact your recovery. When you reject an offer of judgment and do not obtain a greater award than the offer at trial, you will not be able to request payment by defendant(s) of your attorneys’ fees for any of his or her time spent after that rejection. Because of this potential penalty, you need to discuss the pros and cons of accepting or rejecting an offer of judgment with counsel. This is a serious legal decision which cannot be summarized adequately on this website. You must weigh the pros and cons of this decision with your lawyer.

If I don’t settle, will I have to pay the other side’s fees?

No, as long as the lawsuit you bring is not “frivolous” (without any legal basis). To help protect you against filing a frivolous lawsuit, choose a lawyer who is experienced in employment law. Also, always read the complaint, which is the document in which you present the factual basis for your claims, and which once filed begins the lawsuit. It is ultimately your responsibility to ensure that the facts in the case are correct.

How much will I “net” if I settle my case? (Or, how is my portion of the settlement calculated?)

This depends on the terms of the retainer agreement you entered into with your lawyer. These arrangements typically include contingency and modified contingency arrangements as well as payment of attorneys’ fees on an hourly basis. See our site’s page on attorneys’ fees for additional information.

In any of these retainer arrangements, your attorney will be entitled to deduct their fees from your settlement. In contingency and modified contingency arrangements, these fees will amount to a percentage of the award. Where you have agreed to pay your attorney on an hourly basis, you will owe your attorney the balance of fees billed.

I don’t understand how my attorney calculated his share of my award. I don’t think he is following what we agreed to. What should I do?

The division of a settlement award between you and your lawyer should be spelled out in a written retainer agreement. To avoid any misunderstandings about what the written retainer says, always make sure you carefully read the provisions pertaining to attorneys’ fees. If you don’t understand what is written, make sure to ask your attorney to explain it to you before signing this document. See our the question on attorney fees in the Protect Your Rights section of the website.

What about the award of attorneys’ fees? How is that applied to the gross settlement?

Any sum of money in a settlement allocated separately as payment of “attorneys’ fees” should be credited against the fees you owe your attorney. How that is done depends on the type of retainer agreement you have with your lawyer.

Do I get to keep the entire amount of my settlement after I pay my attorney?

 No. The “net” amount after you pay your attorney is gross “income” to you. Money received as a settlement of an employment-related lawsuit is usually designated in one of two ways; as lost wages, or as compensation for emotional distress resulting from the conduct of your former employer. 

Under the law, money attributed to either category is taxable. You need to discuss with your attorney how to structure the settlement and how the money will be allocated. See our site’s page on taxation for further information.

My friend received a large personal injury settlement. His entire award was tax free, why isn’t my award tax-free?

Your friend’s personal injury settlement predictably was tax free because the money he received was attributable to the pain and suffering he experienced as a result of a physical injury. In employment cases, most of the time, emotional injuries stem from non-physical acts taken by the employer or an employee against you. Money received on account of such suffering is taxable, although most likely not as wages, and thus not subject to Social Security taxes. All damages received in lieu of past or present income are taxable as wages.  

In a contingency arrangement, why is my lawyer getting one-third of the gross settlement instead of the after-tax amount of the settlement?

Virtually all contingency and modified contingency arrangements provide that your attorney receives his or her percentage from the gross settlement sum. Just like you, the money to your counsel is not net income. Your attorney or his/her law firm will have to pay taxes on the amount received in attorneys fees.

How will any settlement I receive affect my tax bracket or tax obligations?

You need to consult an accountant or tax lawyer about this question. Most attorneys who represent plaintiffs in employment-related cases do not have the training to advise you about tax matters. You should be aware, however, that any sizeable award can impact your income tax situation significantly. It is usually a good idea to consult with a tax advisor before making the decision to settle. Your attorney may be able to negotiate how the money is allocated and the timing of payments made – but it is ultimately your pocketbook the IRS will go after. See our site’s page on taxation for further information.

My lawyer is pressuring me to settle. Isn’t it my decision whether we should settle the case?

My lawyer says if I do not accept the settlement being offered she will withdraw from representing me. I am confused and angry. What steps should I take?

First, resist the temptation to assume your lawyer is selling you down the river by encouraging you to settle. Your attorney is almost always on your side. Even if you doubt the sincerity of your counsel to champion your cause, keep in mind that in most cases, your attorney stands to gain financially if you either continue the case (when you pay hourly) or if your offer increases (in a contingency case). So, there is no incentive to undercut the value of your case.

Second, speak candidly to your lawyer. Ask pointed questions about why the attorney does not want to continue if you refuse the current settlement proposal. Evaluate with your attorney how realistic your expectations are about settlement. Make sure your attorney explains what your case is worth. This will put some perspective on what you perceive as your attorney’s “ultimatum.”

Don’t forget to examine your own motives for turning down a settlement offer. Are you seeking a form of “justice” which is not likely to happen? Are you afraid of closure – don’t want to stop fighting with your employer? Are you seeking revenge, rather than making a smart business/life style decision? These questions can help you assess whether your attorney is making an unreasonable demand of you, or you are not seeing the case clearly, and the offer pending for what it is worth.

I’ve talked to my lawyer. We still disagree about settlement. He wants to make a motion to withdraw from my case. What do I do?

If you can’t agree with your attorney about accepting a settlement, before he or she applies to the court to withdraw, consider consulting with one or more other attorneys. You can get a second and third opinion about the prudence of accepting a current offer, which may help to change your mind about the proposed offer. If not, perhaps another attorney would be willing to take your case. It always looks better to the court and opposing counsel for you to switch counsel rather than have your current lawyer make a public motion to withdraw.

I’m tired of litigation, and just want the case to be over. Should I take less than my attorney tells me my case is worth?

The decision whether to accept a settlement is always yours to make. A lawyer cannot compel you to reject a settlement offer. There are many reasons to settle a case for less than what your attorney thinks (best case scenario) it may be worth:

1. 1. • You don’t want to fight any more.
      • You want to avoid a deposition (statement given under oath) or testimony at trial.
      • You think a further financial investment in your case won’t result in a better outcome.
      • You want to move on with your life.
      • You should always consider what is best for you and your family – sometimes money isn’t the only thing that matters: resolution is.

I’ve been told that I will have to keep the settlement amount confidential if I settle the case. Do I have to agree to this provision?

Yes, if you want the money. Most if not all private employers will request that you keep the amount of the settlement confidential. Some employers will also require that you keep the facts surrounding the lawsuit and negotiations leading up to the settlement confidential. Public employers usually cannot require such a provision.

What happens if I reveal one of the confidences in my settlement agreement that I am supposed to keep secret?

You take the risk of being sued for breach of this provision of the settlement agreement. Some employers put a forfeiture or penalty provision in the agreement providing that you will have to pay back some or the entire settlement amount if you breach confidentiality. Almost all employers put in some type of penalty provision to ensure you don’t talk to anyone outside of a very limited group specifically exempt from confidentiality.

My proposed settlement agreement permits me to speak with my immediate family members without breaching the confidentiality provision but doesn’t include my live-in partner. If I can’t avoid discussing the terms of the settlement with my partner, will I have violated the agreement?

Technically, yes. To avoid this problem, you need to inform and/or remind your attorney of your living situation. Most employers will permit you to discuss your case and settlement with individuals you live with or other people in your life with whom you have an intimate relationship.

How can I choose an attorney who won’t undersell the value of my case, but who understands I don’t want to litigate forever?

There is no formula to finding an attorney who fits this bill, but choosing one who can communicate well with you – by both listening and answering questions – should be at the top of your list. Deciding whether to settle your case can be challenging, frustrating and anxiety provoking. You should be able to process the pros and cons of any proposed settlement with your attorney in a manner which is both respectful of your feelings and impressions but also in which your attorney can disagree with you without your feeling betrayed. This can usually be accomplished when the relationship with your attorney is premised on trust. So when consulting or interviewing an attorney, look for someone who you believe you can rely upon to follow their advice.

Lwa taks ka trè konplike epi li ka afekte kantite lajan ou finalman resevwa nan men yon ka travay. Pa egzanp, taks ou peye sou domaj nan ka w la ka pi wo pase taks ou ta peye sou lajan nan travay. Gen yon efò kontinyèl pou chanje lwa ki nan zòn sa a. Sepandan, Fwa Espas travay isit la ede ou. Pou aprann plis sou taksasyon nan ka travay ak dwa ki gen rapò ak ou, li anba a.

Lè m resevwa lajan nan men patwon m nan ka travay mwen, èske lajan taksab?

Yes. The tax system starts with the basic premise that “All income is taxable, unless specifically excluded.” This includes settlements and damages from employment cases. Due to the way the tax laws are structured, however, you may pay higher taxes on money you receive in an employment case than you would if you had continued working for your employer and paid taxes on your wages.

Why are damages from employment cases taxed at a higher rate than income I receive during my employment?

Gen de fason ou ka peye pi wo taks nan rezoud oswa genyen ka travay ou. Si ou resevwa domaj pou mal ki pa ekonomik (yo rele tou "domaj konpansatif") tankou doulè ak soufrans ak emosyonèl ki anplwaye soufri kòm yon rezilta nan eregi, asèlman entènasyonal, vantilasyon, oswa espas travay ki sanble, ou pral papye ekri sou domaj sa yo, menm si moun ki resevwa domaj ki pa gen okenn konesans nan lòt kalite ka, tankou ka aksidan pèsonèl, pa peye taks sou ka sa yo.

Mwen te soufri yon aksidan fizik lè yo te atake m nan espas travay la. Èske domaj mwen te resevwa an kont aksidan fizik la taksab?

In a case rejected for review by the Supreme Court, Murphy v. IRS, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the constitutionality of taxing non-economic damages in employment cases, even though these damages are not taxed in other types of cases. As this is one of the only rulings on this subject, it will most likely be necessary to pass new legislation to undo the previous change to the law.

Èske salè tounen mwen taksab nan ka travay?

Wi. Salè retounen yo taksab tankou revni, depi si yo te touche kòm salè pandan travay ou, ou ta dwe papye ekri sou yo. Epitou, depi ou oblije peye taks sou tout kantite lajan revni ou nan nenpòt ane yo bay, si ou resevwa yon prim boul-sòm pou plizyè ane nan pèdi tounen, ou souvan ap peye taks nan yon pousantaj ki pi wo pase si ou te touche sa peye sou yon peryòd plizyè ane. Gen kounye a se pa gen okenn fason an mwayèn prim ou pou ke ou sèlman peye taks nan pousantaj la ou ta peye ou te toujou anplwaye. 

Mwen te etabli ka diskriminasyon travay mwen tounen nan 2003, epi yo te peye yon bòdwo taks trè gwo, ki gen ladan taks sou kantite lajan ki te ale nan avoka mwen an. Èske lwa a chanje?

Yes. In October 2004, a provision ending double taxation of attorneys’ fees in employment discrimination, civil rights and other cases regulating employment was passed as part of the America Jobs Creation Act of 2004. The law allows employees who have received a settlement or award to deduct the portion of the award paid to the attorney as attorneys’ fees as an above-the-line deduction of attorneys’ fees This means that payments will not be subject to the Alternative Minimum Tax or to the 2% floor on miscellaneous deductions, which caused employees to pay taxes on portions of the award that they did not receive – which went to their attorneys instead. It applies to settlements and awards made, and fees and costs paid, after the date of enactment.

Ki ka ki te afekte konstitisyonèl taks sou domaj ki pa ekonomik ki afekte nesesite pou CRTRA a?

Dènye desizyon an kenbe IRS ka kontinye taks domaj konpansab yo bay viktim revandikasyon sivil yo ak lòt vyolasyon dwa sivil yo. Prim domaj sa yo, ki gen entansyon fè viktim nan "antye" ankò, gen ladan peman pou pèt nan repitasyon ak detrès emosyonèl.

Ka a te pote pa Marrita Murphy, yon siflèt anviwònman an ki te genyen ka li anvan Depatman Travay, e li te bay domaj konpansatif pou vindicate dwa li yo anba sis lwa federal anviwònman federal. Murphy te ranpli kostim lè IRS te mande pou li peye taks sou prim "fè-antye" kòm si li te revni. Apre li te fin ranvwaye ka li a, Murphy te depoze yon apèl.

Apwè tout agiman kout ak agiman oral, tribinal apèl la okòmansman te fèt ke prim Murphy a pat revni ak taks sou domaj li yo vyole konstitisyon Ameriken an. Apre sa, anba presyon nan men Administrasyon Bush la, jij yo te deside fè repetisyon sou ka a. Nan dirijan sa a, Murphy II, DC Sikwi a ranvèse pwòp desizyon li anvan li yo, deklare ke domaj konpansatif ki pa fizik yo taksab kòm revni brit. Lakou Siprèm nan dènyèman te refize tande ka sa a.

Lè m resevwa yon regleman oswa prim nan men patwon m nan, èske yo oblije kenbe taks nan kantite total mwen sipoze resevwa?

Si ou resevwa yon kantite lajan boul kòm yon reklamasyon lalwa travay, Lè sa a, ou dwe deside ki jan yo asiyen kantite lajan yo, ak ki fòm yo sèvi ak. Ou gen de (2) chwa, Fòm W-2 ak Fòm 1099-MISC. Nan Fòm 1099-MISC , ou gen de lòt chwa: Bwat 3 oswa Bwat 7. Bwat 3 se pou "lòt revni," ki gen ladan prim domaj taksab. Bwat 7 se pou "konpansasyon ki pa anplwaye" plis pase $ 600. Pa egzanp, ann sipoze ou rezoud ka w la pou $100,000. Ou peye avoka w la $30,000 kòm dakò nan veso w la. Nan $70,000, oumenm ak konseye taks ou oswa konseye taks ou deside asiyen $25,000 pou pèt salè ak $45,000 nan detrès emosyonèl. Se sèlman alokasyon salè a pral sijè a prelèvman nòmal yo si ou chwazi opsyon fòm W-2 a.

This tax stuff is complicated – I’m not sure I understand it. What do I do to make sure I comply with the law?

Lwa taks trè konplike, epi avoka a ki reprezante w nan ka travay ou, ki ka trè konesans sou lwa travay, ka pa konplètman konprann enplikasyon taks yo swa. Anpil avoka travay rekòmande ke kliyan yo jwenn konsèy taks endepandan nan men yon moun ki espesyalize nan lwa taks, tankou yon kontab, konseye taks oswa avoka taks. Si avoka w la fè rekòmandasyon sa a, oswa si ou pa konprann ki avoka w la rekòmande konsènan enplikasyon taks règleman ou oswa prim ou, ou ta dwe definitivman pale ak yon moun ki gen ekspètiz espesifik nan lwa taks.

Kounye a ke ou te konkli pwosè ou epi ou te resevwa lajan nan men patwon ou, dènye bagay ou pwobableman vle se yon kontwòl kontwòl kontab oswa plis litij. Li vo envestisman relativman minim pou jwenn konsèy taks son, espesyalman konpare ak altènatif la nan pèdi menm plis nan prim ou nan taks ak penalite.

When you file for bankruptcy under any chapter of the Bankruptcy Code, all of your assets become “property” of the bankruptcy estate and becomes subject to administration by the bankruptcy court in which you file. Therefore, if you file for bankruptcy protection at any time after your employment claim arises, your interest in any pending lawsuit also becomes property of the bankruptcy estate, which includes “all legal or equitable interests of the debtor in property as of the commencement of the bankruptcy case.” The relevant date for bankruptcy purposes is when the claim arises – when the event or events at work occurred that are the subject of your lawsuit – not when you actually file your administrative claim or lawsuit itself.

The consequences of your bankruptcy filing can be dramatic. Filing a bankruptcy petition literally robs you of any standing to direct the course of your employment lawsuit – and the authority to receive directly the proceeds of any monetary award obtained in the litigation.

Olye de sa, tribinal bankwout la ak nenpòt sendik ke tribinal la nonmen pou administre byen ou yo gen otorite pou detèmine:

• Kit yo pouswiv yon kòz aksyon;
• Pousantaj (yo) nan ki nenpòt avoka yo pral rekonpanse pou reprezantasyon an; E
• Kit se tèm ki tèm pou rezoud litij la.

Èske avoka aktyèl mwen an ka kontinye reprezante m 'nan ka travay mwen yon fwa mwen te depoze pou fayit?

Avoka w la dwe jwenn apwobasyon tribinal bankwout la pou yo konsève kòm "konsèy espesyal" pou pouswiv litij la. Evidamman di, avoka ou a ka pa anvi kontinye reprezante ou si gen yon chans ke li pa pral kenbe pa sendik la fayit ak / oswa resevwa konpansasyon an dakò sou lè ou te siyen yon akò pou reprezantasyon. Se poutèt sa ou bezwen enfòme avoka ou imedyatman, si ou pa te fè sa deja, yon fwa ou ranpli pou fayit, se konsa ke avoka ou ka pran etap ki apwopriye yo dwe anplwaye pa sendik la kontinye pouswiv ka w la.

Kisa k ap pase si mwen te depoze pwosè travay mwen an premye, e kounye a, mwen bezwen depoze pou fayit?

Tribinal Bankwout la mande pou dèt yo idantifye tout byen yo sou orè bankwout yo pou kapab bay sendik la ak tout kreditè opòtinite pou deside kijan pou "administre" byen imobilye bankwout la. 

This means that when you file for bankruptcy, you must disclose, under penalty of perjury, “all suits and administrative proceedings to which the debtor was or is a party within one year immediately preceding the filing of the bankruptcy case.” Additionally, you must disclose “contingent and unliquidated claims of every nature,” and equitable interests. You also are obligated to estimate the value of the claims, which you should do in consultation with your employment attorney.

Se poutèt sa, nenpòt ki chaj anvan EEOC a oswa nenpòt biwo eta a, oswa lòt pwosedi administratif eta a oswa administratif federal, osi byen ke nenpòt reklamasyon ki pandye nan nenpòt tribinal dwe divilge.

Kisa k ap pase si mwen pa te divilge reklamasyon travay mwen nan ka fayit mwen an?

Yon sendik, avèk apwobasyon tribinal la, ka deside rete tann pou resevwa lajan nan yon reklamasyon année epi distribye lajan yo bay kreditè dèt la, oswa li ka deside "abandone" reklamasyon an, nan ki lè nenpòt pwosedi ta ale dirèkteman nan dèt la. Nan anpil ka, sendik la pral detèmine ke reklamasyon an twò espekilativ oswa pral pran twò lontan pou pouswiv, ak Se poutèt sa pa pral kenbe rezolisyon an alè nan ka a bankwout, epi yo pral chwazi abandone reklamasyon an. Kit sendik la pouswiv reklamasyon an sou non bankwout la ak kreditè li yo se jiska diskresyon sendik la, men yo dwe detèmine anba sipèvizyon tribinal la.

Ki kote, sepandan, sendik la pa abandone reklamasyon an, lajan yo nan litij la dwe pase nan byen imobilye a bankwout pou distribisyon bay kreditè ou yo. Si nenpòt lajan depase yo disponib apre tout kreditè yo te peye, sendik la ap debouse lajan ki rete yo nan plenn / dèt la.

Kisa k ap pase si ka fayit mwen an te fèmen deja?

Si ou pa divilge reklamasyon travay ou nan tribinal bankwout la, ou lakòz yon sitiyasyon pou avoka travay ou ak seryezman mete an danje valè potansyèl ka w la.

Echèk la divilge reklamasyon w lan nan sendik la oswa nan tribinal la entèfere ak kapasite sendik la ak kapasite tribinal la pou detèmine si wi ou non yo "administre" oswa "abandone" li. Pwopriyete nan byen imobilye a ki pa abandone e ke se pa administre nan ka a rete pwopriyete nan byen imobilye bankwout la.

Tribinal yo te jwenn ke kreditè yo ta dwe gen opòtinite pou yo pataje nan fwi nenpòt rekiperasyon ou resevwa. Li pa gen pwoblèm si ou aji nan move konfyans: tribinal pèmèt pou posibilite pou erè onèt lè ou vini pi devan pou pataje fwi yo nan rekiperasyon an ak kreditè ou yo.

I need my workers’ compensation to pay my medical expenses. Will my workers’ compensation become part of the bankruptcy estate?

Tout eta yo gen yon lis byen ki egzante de vin yon pati nan byen imobilye fayit la, ak chans yo se konpansasyon travayè ou yo se youn nan byen sa yo. Sepandan, akòz nati konplike nan lwa fayit kèk eta yo, li pi bon pou mande avoka fayit ou sou lwa yo nan eta w la. Pa egzanp, nan Kalifòni si règleman konpansasyon travayè ou yo te modifye, tankou lè ou resevwa yon peman avanse sou règleman an, Lè sa a, konpansasyon travayè ou yo ka pa egzante ankò.

Note: If you are currently pursuing or plan to bring a lawsuit against your employer, or have filed a claim with an administrative agency such as the EEOC, it is extremely important to consult with your lawyer (both your employment lawyer and your bankruptcy lawyer, if you have one) before filing for bankruptcy. This move will have extremely important consequences for your claim against your employer, so it is critical that your attorneys be aware of your plan to file for bankruptcy and have an opportunity to fully advise you how filing for bankruptcy will affect your employment case.

If you have already filed for bankruptcy and have not yet told your bankruptcy and employment lawyers, it is very critical that you do so immediately, as you and your attorneys must act promptly to try to minimize the consequences of the bankruptcy filing. The longer that you delay, the more likely it is that your actions may be viewed as an attempt to mislead or defraud the bankruptcy court, which could cost you the ability to pursue your employment case.

Èske w gen pou depoze pou fayit pandan yon diskisyon ak anplwayè w la, oswa ansyen patwon w la, se yon posibilite twò reyèl. Dayè, petèt ou pa t ap rele si w t ap resevwa lajan ou merite a. Pandan ke efè yo nan fayit ka sanble konplike an premye, règ debaz la se ke kreditè ou pran presedan. Pou aprann plis sou fayit ak ki jan li ka afekte pwosè ou, li anba a:

Si mwen ranpli pou fayit, kijan li pral afekte ka travay mwen kont anplwayè mwen an?

When you file for bankruptcy under any chapter of the Bankruptcy Code, all of your assets become “property” of the bankruptcy estate and becomes subject to administration by the bankruptcy court in which you file. Therefore, if you file for bankruptcy protection at any time after your employment claim arises, your interest in any pending lawsuit also becomes property of the bankruptcy estate, which includes “all legal or equitable interests of the debtor in property as of the commencement of the bankruptcy case.” The relevant date for bankruptcy purposes is when the claim arises – when the event or events at work occurred that are the subject of your lawsuit – not when you actually file your administrative claim or lawsuit itself.

The consequences of your bankruptcy filing can be dramatic. Filing a bankruptcy petition literally robs you of any standing to direct the course of your employment lawsuit – and the authority to receive directly the proceeds of any monetary award obtained in the litigation.

Olye de sa, tribinal bankwout la ak nenpòt sendik ke tribinal la nonmen pou administre byen ou yo gen otorite pou detèmine:

• Kit yo pouswiv yon kòz aksyon;
• Pousantaj (yo) nan ki nenpòt avoka yo pral rekonpanse pou reprezantasyon an; E
• Kit se tèm ki tèm pou rezoud litij la.

Èske avoka aktyèl mwen an ka kontinye reprezante m 'nan ka travay mwen yon fwa mwen te depoze pou fayit?

Avoka w la dwe jwenn apwobasyon tribinal bankwout la pou yo konsève kòm "konsèy espesyal" pou pouswiv litij la. Evidamman di, avoka ou a ka pa anvi kontinye reprezante ou si gen yon chans ke li pa pral kenbe pa sendik la fayit ak / oswa resevwa konpansasyon an dakò sou lè ou te siyen yon akò pou reprezantasyon. Se poutèt sa ou bezwen enfòme avoka ou imedyatman, si ou pa te fè sa deja, yon fwa ou ranpli pou fayit, se konsa ke avoka ou ka pran etap ki apwopriye yo dwe anplwaye pa sendik la kontinye pouswiv ka w la.

Kisa k ap pase si mwen te depoze pwosè travay mwen an premye, e kounye a, mwen bezwen depoze pou fayit?

Tribinal Bankwout la mande pou dèt yo idantifye tout byen yo sou orè bankwout yo pou kapab bay sendik la ak tout kreditè opòtinite pou deside kijan pou "administre" byen imobilye bankwout la. 

This means that when you file for bankruptcy, you must disclose, under penalty of perjury, “all suits and administrative proceedings to which the debtor was or is a party within one year immediately preceding the filing of the bankruptcy case.” Additionally, you must disclose “contingent and unliquidated claims of every nature,” and equitable interests. You also are obligated to estimate the value of the claims, which you should do in consultation with your employment attorney.

Se poutèt sa, nenpòt ki chaj anvan EEOC a oswa nenpòt biwo eta a, oswa lòt pwosedi administratif eta a oswa administratif federal, osi byen ke nenpòt reklamasyon ki pandye nan nenpòt tribinal dwe divilge.

Kisa k ap pase si mwen pa te divilge reklamasyon travay mwen nan ka fayit mwen an?

Yon sendik, avèk apwobasyon tribinal la, ka deside rete tann pou resevwa lajan nan yon reklamasyon année epi distribye lajan yo bay kreditè dèt la, oswa li ka deside "abandone" reklamasyon an, nan ki lè nenpòt pwosedi ta ale dirèkteman nan dèt la. Nan anpil ka, sendik la pral detèmine ke reklamasyon an twò espekilativ oswa pral pran twò lontan pou pouswiv, ak Se poutèt sa pa pral kenbe rezolisyon an alè nan ka a bankwout, epi yo pral chwazi abandone reklamasyon an. Kit sendik la pouswiv reklamasyon an sou non bankwout la ak kreditè li yo se jiska diskresyon sendik la, men yo dwe detèmine anba sipèvizyon tribinal la.

Ki kote, sepandan, sendik la pa abandone reklamasyon an, lajan yo nan litij la dwe pase nan byen imobilye a bankwout pou distribisyon bay kreditè ou yo. Si nenpòt lajan depase yo disponib apre tout kreditè yo te peye, sendik la ap debouse lajan ki rete yo nan plenn / dèt la.

Kisa k ap pase si ka fayit mwen an te fèmen deja?

Si ou pa divilge reklamasyon travay ou nan tribinal bankwout la, ou lakòz yon sitiyasyon pou avoka travay ou ak seryezman mete an danje valè potansyèl ka w la.

Echèk la divilge reklamasyon w lan nan sendik la oswa nan tribinal la entèfere ak kapasite sendik la ak kapasite tribinal la pou detèmine si wi ou non yo "administre" oswa "abandone" li. Pwopriyete nan byen imobilye a ki pa abandone e ke se pa administre nan ka a rete pwopriyete nan byen imobilye bankwout la.

Tribinal yo te jwenn ke kreditè yo ta dwe gen opòtinite pou yo pataje nan fwi nenpòt rekiperasyon ou resevwa. Li pa gen pwoblèm si ou aji nan move konfyans: tribinal pèmèt pou posibilite pou erè onèt lè ou vini pi devan pou pataje fwi yo nan rekiperasyon an ak kreditè ou yo.

I need my workers’ compensation to pay my medical expenses. Will my workers’ compensation become part of the bankruptcy estate?

Tout eta yo gen yon lis byen ki egzante de vin yon pati nan byen imobilye fayit la, ak chans yo se konpansasyon travayè ou yo se youn nan byen sa yo. Sepandan, akòz nati konplike nan lwa fayit kèk eta yo, li pi bon pou mande avoka fayit ou sou lwa yo nan eta w la. Pa egzanp, nan Kalifòni si règleman konpansasyon travayè ou yo te modifye, tankou lè ou resevwa yon peman avanse sou règleman an, Lè sa a, konpansasyon travayè ou yo ka pa egzante ankò.

Remak: Ou kòm plenn nan yon ka travay ka pran avantaj de kèk nan pwoteksyon Kòd Bankwout la pou kreditè yo. Malgre ke ou ta evidamman pito pa bezwen pouswiv reklamasyon ou kont anplwayè w la nan tribinal la bankwout, ou pa ta dwe tou senpleman abandone reklamasyon ou san yo pa evalye potansyèl la pou prezève reklamasyon an oswa jijman, lè ou konsidere opsyon ki disponib nan konsiltasyon avèk avoka ou ak / oswa yon avoka fayit.

Si ou te ranpli oswa planifye pou depoze yon pwosè kont patwon ou epi yo ranpli pou fayit li ka fini fè lavi ou pi konplike. Sepandan, Fwa Espas Travay se isit la ede ou travay nan sitiyasyon an. Pou aprann plis sou fayit anplwayè ak pwose, ak dwa ou ki gen rapò ak yo, li anba a.

Apre m te fin ranpli yon pwosè kont patwon m nan, dènyèman, mwen te aprann patwon m ap ranpli pou fayit. Ki efè sa ap afekte reklamasyon travay mwen an?

Ranpli a nan yon petisyon bankwout pa yon konpayi akize oswa yon moun pa janm bon nouvèl pou ou kòm plenn nan yon ka travay. Sepandan, li pa bezwen nan fen mond lan - oswa nan fen reklamasyon ou kont akize a. Yon plenn nan yon ka travay kontinyèl se yon kreyansye nan patwon an akize a, paske anba Kòd la Bankwout, yon kreyansye gen ladan nenpòt moun ki gen yon reklamasyon ki te leve kont dèt la nan moman an nan oswa anvan yo ranpli petisyon an bankwout. Kòd Bankwout la bay mekanis pou kreditè yo maksimize reklamasyon yo kont dèt la.

Sepandan, objektif yon petisyon bankwout - si yon Chapit 11 reòganizasyon oswa Chapit 7 likidasyon pa yon antite antrepriz oswa yon Chapit 7 oswa Chapit 13 pa yon moun - se soulaje dèt la nan tout dèt ki te egziste anvan deklarasyon fayit la epi bay dèt la yon "kòmanse fre." Yon antite antrepriz oswa lòt antite biznis ki inisye yon pwosesis reòganizasyon dèt nan tribinal la bankwout jeneralman gen ti ankourajman pou sòti lajan yo peye dèt ki fèt anvan yo depoze fayit la, espesyalman dèt ki pa eksepsyonèl, tankou yon reklamasyon travay plenn. Moun ki te depoze pou fayit yo egalman motive pou lave tout dèt yo. Menm si ou te jwenn yon jijman anvan yo depoze fayit la, dèt la ta ka toujou pou tout tan egzeyate pa tribinal la fayit, ki vle di ke dèt la pa pral oblije peye nenpòt pòsyon nan jijman an.

Èske mwen ka kontinye pwosè mwen kont patwon mwen yon fwa li te ranpli pou fayit?

Sa depann de. Ranpli yon petisyon bankwout pa yon akize deklanche yon rete otomatik nan tout litij kont akize a / dèt. Sa vle di ke oumenm oswa avoka ou pa kapab, san yo pa vyole rete a, fè nenpòt demann pou peman, oswa kòmanse oswa kontinye nenpòt litij ki te oswa te kapab inisye anvan fayit la. Sa gen ladan l kontinye avèk dekouvèt oswa mande yon jij pou bay nenpòt lòd nan ka w la. Si yon jijman deja antre, rete anpeche ou fè nenpòt efò pou ranfòse li.

Nenpòt aksyon yo te pran an vyolasyon rete a se evite ak yon vyolasyon volontè nan rete a ka pini pa yon sitasyon pou meprize tribinal la, ak / oswa mande pou ou peye pou frè avoka yo ak domaj ki fèt pa akize a / dèt. Pou w refè de patwon w lan, w ap swa oblije egzante de rete a, oswa kontinye pwosè ou nan tribinal fayit la.

EEOC a patisipe nan ka mwen an. Èske EEOC a ka kontinye efò li yo yon fwa patwon mwen te ranpli pou fayit?

Ou pa ka pran plis aksyon kont anplwayè akize a yon fwa li te ranpli pou fayit, ki gen ladan kòmanse oswa kontinye nenpòt pwosedi administratif anvan Komisyon an Opòtinite Travay Egal oswa yon ajans eta ki sanble oswa ajans federal.

Sepandan, lè yon "inite gouvènman an," tankou EEOC a oswa nenpòt komisyon dwa moun, antreprann aksyon kont patwon an / dèt pou yon rezon piblik (lòt pase yon akizasyon litij prive nan diskriminasyon, pou egzanp), rete otomatik la pa aplike nan pwosedi sa yo. Kòd Bankwout la rekonèt pi wo enterè piblik la nan pèmèt antite gouvènman an egzèse regilasyon yo oswa pouvwa polis yo, kanpe defans fayit la. Se poutèt sa, tankou lòt antite gouvènman an, komisyon EEOC ak eta dwa moun gen otorite pou kontinye pwosedi yo nan lòd yo vindicate enterè piblik la nan efase diskriminasyon travay ak lòt vyolasyon dwa anplwaye yo.

Ki etap pozitif mwen ta dwe pran pou prezève reklamasyon mwen an?

Souvan bankwout souvan se sou rezolisyon negosyasyon. Sa a se yon zòn kote wou a tranble pi souvan pase pa vin grès la. Sa pa vle di grès egal jistis. Sepandan, planifikasyon atansyon ka ede w anile tantativ patwon an pou l sèvi ak fayit li pou evite dèt la dwe w kòm plenn.

Men kèk nan etap sa yo ke ou menm ak / oswa avoka ou ka pran pou prezève reklamasyon ou an, diskite an plis detay anba a:

• File a proof of claim.
• Check schedules / contact the debtor’s counsel and/or the trustee.
• Seek relief from the automatic stay to liquidate the claim.
• In a Chapter 11 case, vote on the plan of reorganization.
• Participate on the unsecured creditors committee.
• File a nondichargeability complaint in the bankruptcy court.

Ki sa ki se yon prèv reklamasyon?

Etap ki pi enpòtan nan pwoteje reklamasyon w lan kont anplwayè a nan tribinal fayit la se pou depoze yon prèv reklamasyon. Prèv reklamasyon an:

• Notifye tribinal bankwout la nan reklamasyon ou ak entansyon pou pataje nan nenpòt distribisyon byen bay kreditè, kèlkeswa si dèt la enkli reklamasyon ou sou orè bankwout li yo;
• Ba ou dwa pou objè a nenpòt aktivite nan ka bankwout la ki ka afekte jijman an oswa valè reklamasyon ou; E
• Ede w asire w ou avize w sou pwosedi tribinal la.

 The proof of claim is a single-page form that may be filed under your signature. Although you do not need the signature of an attorney admitted to the bankruptcy court in which the defendant/debtor has filed, in order to file the proof of claim, a bankruptcy attorney certainly should be consulted, as there are deadlines for filing the proof of claim.

Prèv ofisyèl fòm reklamasyon an disponib nan tribinal bankwout la. Pifò, si se pa tout, nan tribinal yo fayit yo sou entènèt kounye a, epi fè disponib tout fòm ki nesesè yo, pafwa ki gen ladan egzanp modèl, nan yon fòma .pdf downloadable ki ka enprime soti epi ranpli, oswa nan yon fòm sou entènèt "ekri".

Ki enfòmasyon mwen ta dwe enkli sou prèv reklamasyon an?

Fòm reklamasyon an mande pou:

• Idantifye baz pou reklamasyon an;
• Kantite lajan reklamasyon an nan moman yo te depoze reklamasyon fayripsyon an;
• Si nenpòt pòsyon nan reklamasyon an garanti; E
• Si ou gen yon reklamasyon priyorite ki pa gen ase, menm jan tèm sa a defini pa Kòd la Bankwout. Nan pifò ka, reklamasyon travay ou se pral yon reklamasyon jeneral ki pa kòrèk.

Ou dwe konplè ke posib nan afiche prèv reklamasyon ou epi yo ta dwe tache dokiman sipò, tankou yon plent dosye-stamped, kontra travay, oswa jijman, jan sa apwopriye. Ou ta dwe gen ladan tout eleman nan reklamasyon yo ak soulajman ta dwe chèche kont akize a / dèt nan prèv reklamasyon an, ki gen ladan domaj konpansatif, soulajman ekitab, soulajman potentiels, prejije ak enterè postjik, ak frè avoka yo. Gade paj domaj sit nou an pou plis enfòmasyon sou diferan kalite domaj sa yo.

Si plent la te depoze san yon kantite lajan espesifik, ou ka lis kantite lajan reklamasyon an kòm "detèmine." Ou ta dwe konsilte avèk avoka w la pou prepare enfòmasyon sa yo, oswa ou dwe prepare avoka w la pou ou.

Are there debts the defendant can’t discharge in bankruptcy?

If the defendant is an individual, certain types of debts are not eligible for discharge in the bankruptcy case. Pursuant to the Bankruptcy Code, any debt for “willful and malicious injury by the debtor to another entity” is excepted from discharge in the bankruptcy proceeding. 

Plenn nan ka diskriminasyon travay yo te gen siksè nan konvenk tribinal bankwout ke dèt yo se nonschargeable, ki baze sou rezilta jiri ki akize yo te lakòz "volonte ak malisye blese," oswa lè jiri a bay domaj pinitif ki mande pou yon konklizyon volontè oswa move entansyon. Si, sepandan, ou pa te gen benefis nan nenpòt ki pre-fayit pwosedi yo jwenn yon konklizyon nan entansyonèl volonte ak move blesi kont akize a / dèt, ou malerezman mwens chans gen tribinal yo fayit konsidere dèt la ki te kreye pa ka ou a ki pa chèchè.

A plaintiff/creditor or judgment creditor may file a complaint in the bankruptcy court asking the court to determine whether the debt is dischargeable. You must act promptly to meet the bankruptcy court’s short deadlines to initiate a complaint based upon willful or malicious injury, false pretenses, false representation, fraud, or fraud while acting in a fiduciary capacity.

Èske mwen ta dwe patisipe nan Komite Kreditè ki pa gen asirans?

Wi, si sa posib. Nan yon ka Chapit 11, administratè Etazini an ka deziyen yon komite kreditè ki pa gen ase fòmilè, ki gen wòl se, nan mitan lòt bagay, mennen ankèt sou byen yo ak responsablite nan dèt la, operasyon an nan biznis la, patisipe nan fòmilasyon plan an, ak konsilte avèk sendik la oswa dèt nan posesyon sou administre ka a. Komite a ka otorize tou pou kenbe avoka, kontab oswa lòt pwofesyonèl pou ede li.

The committee is composed of unsecured creditors, and provides a vehicle for a representative group to participate in the case in an orderly manner. Depending on the value of the plaintiff/creditor’s claim, the funds available for distribution from the estate to creditors, and the nature of the defendant/debtor, whether a large or small corporate entity or an individual, participation on the committee may be an opportunity to advance your interests in the case.

In a Chapter 7 case, at the meeting of creditors (called a 341 meeting), the creditors may elect a committee of creditors who hold allowable unsecured claims to consult with the trustee or the United States trustee in the administration of the case, and to appear in court on any matter affecting the administration of your case.

Ou ka gen yon rezon ki fè ou dwe enkyete lè akize a rezoud ka w la nan dènye minit anvan li dosye pou fayit.

Akò règleman yo sijè a dispozisyon "preferans evite" dispozisyon ki nan Kòd Bankwout la. Règleman an dèyè dispozisyon sa yo se ke byen dèt la ta dwe disponib pou konpanse tout kreditè li yo, epi yo pa sèlman kreditè sa yo dèt la "pi pito" yo peye imedyatman anvan deklarasyon fayit la.

Any transfer of property, including money or a commitment to pay money in settlement of a claim against the defendant is subject to the bankruptcy court’s authority to compel the transferee plaintiff/creditor to disgorge the money. Any transfer within 90 days of the bankruptcy filing is presumed to be an avoidable transfer and subject to return to the bankruptcy estate. If the transferee is an “insider” of the debtor entity, the preference period is one year. Insiders include people such as relatives, general partners, directors or officers of the debtor- check with your attorneys to see if this applies to you.

Si yon patwon akize menase pou depoze fayit oswa reklamasyon yo dwe nan yon pozisyon finansye fèb, ou ta dwe okouran de risk pou yo gen retounen lajan yo epi yo ta dwe ezite lage oswa retire reklamasyon ou anba presyon sa yo nan akize a. Yon fwa dosye yo akize pou fayit, yon reklamasyon vizib oswa jijman ki te egziste anvan depoze fayit la se pi bon pase yon reklamasyon ou te deja retire pa lage oswa rejte lè ou rezoud ka w la.

Èske sèten kalite reklamasyon ki gen rapò ak travay gen priyorite nan fayit?

In order to receive priority treatment, the claims must be for unpaid wages or other forms of compensation, and have bedn earned within 180 days before the date of the filing of the petition or the date of the cessation of the debtor’s business, whichever occurs first. 

Anplis de sa, salè ki pa peye yo oswa lòt fòm konpansasyon dwe te fè kòm:

• Salè, salè oswa komisyon, ki gen ladan vakans, grav, ak konje maladi touche pa yon moun; Oubyen
• Komisyon komisyon touche pa yon moun; Oubyen
• Pa yon sosyete ak sèlman yon anplwaye, aji kòm yon kontraktè endepandan nan vant la nan machandiz oswa sèvis pou dèt la nan kou a òdinè nan biznis la dèt si, epi sèlman si, pandan 12 mwa anvan dat sa a, omwen 75 pousan nan kantite lajan an ke moun nan oswa sosyete a te touche pa aji kòm yon kontraktè endepandan nan vant la nan machandiz oswa sèvis yo te touche nan dèt la.

The Bankruptcy Code preempts state statutes that recognize or allow for perfection of employee liens for unpaid wages.

What if my employer still owes me money that doesn’t qualify as a priority claim?

Rès reklamasyon yon anplwaye pou salè, salè, oswa komisyon trete kòm yon reklamasyon jeneral ki pa kòrèk.

Pou egzanp, si ou dwe $15,000 nan salè ki pa peye yo te touche anvan deklarasyon fayit la ak dosye yo anplwayè pou fayit, kantite lajan an nan konpansasyon sa a touche nan 180 jou anvan ranpli a (jiska $ 12,850) ap resevwa "priyorite" tretman epi yo pral peye devan lòt reklamasyon prepetisyon jeneral san presegondè.

If all $15,000 was earned within the 180 days, you will have a $10,000 priority claim and a $2,150 general unsecured prepetition claim that waits in line further down the list of claims eligible for payment.

What if I had an employment contract?

Yon reklamasyon anplwaye pou domaj ki soti nan revokasyon an nan yon kontra travay trete kòm yon reklamasyon jeneral san yo pa gen dwa ak "dwe" pèmèt, absan yon objeksyon, epi apre avi ak yon odyans, nan limit ke li pa depase konpansasyon yo bay nan kontra sa yo, san yo pa akselerasyon, pou yon ane apre a nan:

• Dat deklarasyon petisyon an; Oubyen
• Dat kote anplwayè a te dirije anplwaye a pou mete fen nan, oswa anplwaye sa yo sispann, pèfòmans anba kontra a; plis,
• Nenpòt konpansasyon ki pa peye akòz kontra sa a, san akselerasyon, sou pi bonè nan dat sa yo.

Anplwayè mwen an te sispann fè kontribisyon yo nan plan pansyon mwen ke li te dakò fè anvan li te depoze pou fayit. Èske mwen ka refè kontribisyon sa yo nan pwosedi bankwout la?

They will be considered a priority claim up to the following amount for each benefit plan:

• Kantite anplwaye ki kouvri pa chak plan sa yo miltipliye pa $ 10,000;
• Soustrè kantite lajan total la peye bay anplwaye sa yo pou salè (jan yo diskite nan kesyon anvan an; ak, epi,
• Retire kantite lajan an total peye pa byen imobilye nan non anplwaye sa yo nan nenpòt lòt plan benefis anplwaye.

Yo nan lòd yo refè peman sa yo nan yon pwosedi fayit, li pral gen plis chans yo dwe nesesè pou depoze yon reklamasyon sou non tout anplwaye ki afekte yo, kidonk si sa a se yon pwoblèm nan ka w la, tanpri konsilte avèk avoka ou.

It is also possible that the Pension Benefit Guarnatee Corporation, a government agency responsible for protecting pension benefits by taking over defunct plans, may be involved in administering your plan, which could affect the benefits to which you are entitled. For more information, please consult with the PBGC’s website or your attorney.

Nan ki distans tounen mwen ka refè domaj nan men patwon akize a nan reklamasyon bankwout mwen an?

Kòd Bankwout la te fèt pou limite reklamasyon yon anplwaye ki baze sou yon jijman prepetisyon ki te jwenn pa plenn kont dèt la plis pase de zan anvan yo te ranpli petisyon bankwout la. Sepandan, gen kèk tribinal ki pa dakò ak desizyon sa yo, kidonk li enpòtan pou travay avèk avoka w la pou detèmine ki sijè ki abòde lan reklamasyon ou an ta dwe ye.