The post Focus on these details when reviewing an employment contract appeared first on The Law Firm of Marie A. Mattox, P.A. .
]]>But before you sign on the dotted line, it’s critical that you review every last detail of your employment contract. Signing on the dotted line before doing so could lead to confusion and trouble down the road.
Here are the types of details to focus on when reviewing an employment contract:
While no two employment contracts are identical, most of them include the four details above. As you focus on these, pay close attention to any other language that could affect you now or in the future.
In the event that your employer breaches the contract at some point, learn more about your legal rights and the type of action you can take. You don’t want to sit back and let them get away with it.
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]]>The post What does the new SCOTUS ruling on ministerial exceptions mean for discrimination rules? appeared first on The Law Firm of Marie A. Mattox, P.A. .
]]>According to the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS), the answers are, respectively, “Just about unlimited” and “pretty broad.” In a 7-2 ruling, the SCOTUS essentially eliminated anti-discrimination protections for any minister employed by a church or other religious organization. They also eliminated those same protections for thousands of teachers at religious schools — who can now be fired for any reason their employer deems fit, even if that decision flies in the face of federal anti-discrimination laws.
It may make sense that a church can hire and fire its ministers at will. After all, you can grasp the idea that a church that preaches against premarital sex and adultery wouldn’t want a minister who fathered children with several mistresses. You may also sympathize with a church that wants to get rid of a minister that’s gotten too old and is now out-of-touch with a younger generation — even if that seems ageist and discriminatory.
However, the new ruling applies to all religious organizations — including schools run by churches. Furthermore, the definition of what makes someone a “minister” is so broad that it can apply to pretty much anyone working in that kind of school.
What does that mean? Well, it means that if a Catholic school or another religious-based institution wants to fire a teacher for being Jewish, black, gay, transgender, a single parent, over 40 or for any other reason, they can probably do it so long as that teacher is required to deliver a few minutes of religious instruction per week. Do you work as a janitor in that kind of school and occasionally lead a prayer circle with your peers? You may be considered a minister and subject to the same lack of protections.
Protecting your rights as an employee is hard — and this new ruling makes it much harder for some. If you’re concerned about the possibility of workplace discrimination, make sure you fully understand your options moving forward.
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]]>The post Get medical treatment after a car accident appeared first on The Law Firm of Marie A. Mattox, P.A. .
]]>However, it may still be wise to get medical attention. It’s one of the key steps people should generally take after accidents, and you don’t want to overlook it just because you feel fine in the moment. It is better to get confirmation from a medical professional to ensure that you really did not suffer injuries.
After all, a car accident tends to generate an adrenaline rush that can make you overlook injuries and pain, just like getting injured playing sports or getting into a fight. Your body is trying to help you survive the encounter, and the adrenaline can help to reduce or mask the pain for you. Unfortunately, if you were involved in a car crash, you may not realize that you’re actually hurt.
There are instances where people assume they are fine and go home without seeing a doctor. Hours later, or at least by the following day, it is clear that something is very wrong. They could have a brain injury, internal injuries, internal bleeding or a whole host of other invisible injuries and ailments. Prompt treatment gives you the best chance to survive something like this with minimal ramifications, but delaying that treatment can make your condition far worse.
If you’re looking into your legal options to seek financial compensation after a crash, having a medical record that documents your injuries is also important. It can help to define the injuries that you have, confirm that they happened in the car accident and show what they cost.
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]]>The post New mothers can face discrimination when they go back to work appeared first on The Law Firm of Marie A. Mattox, P.A. .
]]>However, just because you have successfully given birth and are now ready to return after maternity leave doesn’t mean that you won’t face discrimination related to your recent pregnancy and new maternal status.
New mothers in a broad range of professions often find themselves the victims of discrimination or employer retaliation when they try to return to their job.
Pregnancy is a protected medical condition, and new parents typically also have the right to request unpaid leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act even if the employer does not offer paid leave benefits for new moms.
Because the leave and the pregnancy itself have federal protection, your employer should allow you to return to the same position or an equivalent one without any sort of negative consequences. If your employer demotes you, cuts your hours or tries to pay you less, that is a violation of your rights.
Most companies are smart enough to know that they can’t openly discriminate against a new mother on the job. Instead, they will be more subtle in the way that they mistreat their workers.
You may find yourself subject to increasing criticism and scrutiny regarding how you perform your job. Even if you do the same work you have always done, your employer may suddenly have lower performance evaluations for you or may even write you up for things that were not a problem in the past and that other co-workers don’t face disciplinary action for.
Nursing or breastfeeding your baby is beneficial for both of you. It can help you lose pregnancy weight more quickly while simultaneously giving your baby a head start in life. Your employer should accommodate your request for private space and unpaid breaks if necessary for you to either breastfeed your child if someone can bring your infant to you at work or pump in order to store the milk for your child.
If your employer refuses to allow you to do this on the job, it could very well constitute a violation of your right.
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]]>The post You can find justice after losing a family member to negligence appeared first on The Law Firm of Marie A. Mattox, P.A. .
]]>In our time serving Florida victims of personal injury and wrongful death, we have seen how a successful claim helps survivors find a degree of closure in the wake of their loss. Winning a lawsuit comes with financial benefits such as compensation for:
Victims may also qualify for noneconomical damages in some cases. This means that you may be able to acquire additional compensation for:
We know that acquiring financial damages is not the main goal for those who have lost someone to wrongful death. It is the pursuit of justice that drives these claims and helps families cope in the aftermath of their loss. An established and experienced law firm can help survivors bring the responsible party to justice. In the end, this can go a long way in helping you and your other family members heal after experiencing such a huge loss.
We encourage you to learn more about your legal options in the wake of a wrongful death or a personal injury. Our website contains more information about these topics. Please, continue reading to find out what you can do if you have lost a loved one due to another person’s actions.
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]]>The post Motorcyclists: Wear your helmet and prevent deaths appeared first on The Law Firm of Marie A. Mattox, P.A. .
]]>Among fatally injured motorcyclists, serious head injuries were quite common. This is one reason why wearing a helmet is extremely important. Even though Florida does have helmet exemptions that allow those over 21 years of age and at least $10,000 in insurance coverage to go without helmets, it’s not a good idea to do so. Helmets are known to be around 67% effective in preventing brain injuries and 37% effective in preventing deaths during motorcycle crashes.
Looking at data from 2018, the last year for which data is available. you can see how motorcycle deaths account for around 14% of all traffic deaths. In 2018, around 28% of those killed in motorcycle crashes were under 30 years of age. The statistics also show that around 60% of motorcycle drivers who died were wearing their helmets. The death rate was much lower for their passengers, sitting at around 51%.
Approximately 61% of all motorcyclist deaths happen between the months of May and September, with the deaths peaking in June. This correlates to the warmer months of the year when there are more people on the road (including bikers).
No matter when someone rides a motorcycle, there is the potential that they will be seriously hurt or killed by another driver’s negligence. If that happens, it’s smart to get experienced legal assistance with any claim against the other party. That’s the best way to protect your interests and your family’s future.
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]]>The post When is workplace discrimination illegal? appeared first on The Law Firm of Marie A. Mattox, P.A. .
]]>Is that discrimination? Probably, but it may or may not be illegal.
Legally speaking, discrimination that is based on any protected factor (such as race, skin color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, your age if you’re over 40, genetic information or disability) is actionable. Discrimination based on other factors (like your political views or what football team you support) isn’t.
To figure out if your employer’s discrimination is a violation of the law, you may have to compare your situation to others in your workplace. What’s the main difference or differences between you and the employees who seem to have your boss’s favor?
Sometimes managers who engage in discrimination will be blatant about their biases. They may routinely promote white, male workers while keeping female employees and those of other races in low-level positions. If, for example, your employer responds to your request for better hours with a comment like, “You people always want more,” that’s a good indicator that they’re seeing you as a member of a minority group — not an individual.
When you’re caught up in a situation, it can be difficult to tell whether you have a legal cause of action or not. An experienced attorney can help you sort it out.
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]]>The post Yes, a concussion is a serious brain injury appeared first on The Law Firm of Marie A. Mattox, P.A. .
]]>There are a variety of physical symptoms that typically present shortly after suffering a concussion:
Along with this, you may suffer other symptoms, such as:
In some people, these concussion symptoms present immediately. In others, they remain dormant for an extended period of time, such as several hours. That’s why it’s critical to receive a medical exam if you hit your head in a motor vehicle accident.
If your medical team formally diagnoses you with a concussion, they’ll discuss a treatment plan for helping you make a full recovery.
The number one thing to remember during treatment is that you must give your brain time to heal. This means cutting back on both mental and physical exertion. For example, as you recover from a concussion, you shouldn’t go to school or work. And when you are ready, it’s best to slowly ease back into your schedule.
If everything goes as planned, your symptoms will begin to subside and you’ll find yourself on the road to a full recovery. However, if your symptoms linger, your doctor may want to run additional tests to ensure that nothing else is wrong.
For instance, there’s a big difference between a concussion and bleeding on the brain and/or a skull fracture. While they can cause similar symptoms, the treatment of each injury is unique.
Any injury to your brain, including a concussion, is serious. It can impact your physical and mental health, both in the immediate aftermath of the accident and in the future.
Once you’re on the path to making a recovery, learn more about the accident that caused your concussion and the steps you can take to protect your legal rights.
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]]>The post Falsely arrested by the police? Fight back appeared first on The Law Firm of Marie A. Mattox, P.A. .
]]>With an unlawful arrest comes unlawful imprisonment. False imprisonment happens when you’re detained without your consent in an unlawful manner. For example, if the officer above arrests you claiming that you were driving while intoxicated but stopped you without reason to believe that you had violated traffic laws, any subsequent arrest or imprisonment could be unlawful.
There are other forms of false imprisonment as well. For example, if you’re stopped on the street and put into the officer’s cruiser without violating the law, then that could be false imprisonment. No police officer is able to arrest you or hold you against your will unless they have genuine reason to believe that you committed a crime. Probable cause is the most important factor in cases like this, so if you have been held or arrested with no probable cause backing the actions of the police, you may have a strong case against the police department and the officer’s actions.
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]]>The post Does police training need to change? appeared first on The Law Firm of Marie A. Mattox, P.A. .
]]>For instance, one thing that officers need to focus on is the de-escalation of a situation. If they come to a potentially volatile situation, they need to know how to defuse it and bring the level of tension down. That should be the goal, many experts argue, rather than escalating things or just trying to use force to overcome the encounter.
When asked about this for an interview with The Atlantic, one officer did note that this type of focus cannot apply evenly to every situation. Things happen quickly, police need to respond, they don’t have much time to think and things may have gotten beyond the point of de-escalation by the time they even arrive on the scene.
While that point of view isn’t necessarily wrong — there are situations when police have few options — it does seem that most encounters could benefit from a mindset that is focused on calming everyone down. If a police officer makes a traffic stop and then tries to make an arrest, and the suspect is not happy with that decision, is force the only answer? Or can the officer seek a more peaceful solution based on talking to the person and explaining their reasoning?
All too often, officers just turn to force immediately and expect people to comply. That can lead quickly to excessive force and civil rights violations, and those involved must understand their legal options. Speak about your case with an attorney who understands the complex issues involved concerning police misconduct.
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