Ed Sweeney
Franny Ryan
The employment relationship is crucial to everyone. Work is where we spend much of our waking hours. Our interaction with managers and co-workers or a hostile work environment can affect us on the most personal level.
We understand this at Wusinich, Sweeney & Ryan, LLC (WSR). Edward C. Sweeney has been the primary employment lawyer of WSR’s predecessor firm for 15 years. He has litigated and/or settled hundreds of employment suits. Franny Ryan is a seasoned attorney in employment litigation including class actions, discrimination matters, non-compete and trade secret litigation, and other contract and commercial disputes. Both attorneys are graduates of the University of Chicago Law School with decades of experience on both the employer and employee side of Pennsylvania Employment Law.
We represent individuals and small businesses in a wide variety of employment-related matters including workplace discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful termination cases, and unemployment compensation claims. We also review employment agreements, employment contracts, and severance agreements. We litigate cases in federal and state court involving employment and disability discrimination, violation of the Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”), violation of ERISA, short- and long-term disability, firing because of your work injury, whistleblower cases, and failure to pay wages and overtime (“FLSA” or “WPCL” cases).
We represent school administrators, managers, and employees. Pennsylvania’s School Code of 1949 gives special protections by statute to professionals and employees who work in schools. Our experience is that individuals who work at schools need sound legal counsel when they feel that their civil rights are violated or they start to be treated unfairly. We have experience litigating the employee rights of those who work in Pennsylvania schools.
We also represent police officers and other government workers. Police officers and other government workers may have special rights afforded to them by law. They also may have specific rights granted to them by a union contract. We have represented thousands of workers in the past when faced with the prospect of an unfair termination.
We also provide employment law counseling to clients on an hourly basis to those who have ongoing issues in the workplace. Some firms only wish to litigate on behalf of an injured employee. Our law firm wishes to represent your interests and advise you whether you are wrongfully terminated or still employed. We find that prompt advice by us can salvage the employment relationship. Our advice also puts you in the best position to protect your rights in case you are fired.
Many employees who have been separated from employment do have a remedy. Almost all individuals have a right to seek benefits as a result of unemployment. Some employees have contractual rights. Others may have rights due to wrongful termination. If you are a member of a union, we can advise you whether the union is fulfilling its duty of fair representation under your collective bargaining agreement. Call us. We can advise you whether you have a claim and provide advice regarding your rights.
Here are just some of the areas in which employment issues exist:
Violation of Discrimination Laws. Discrimination occurs when a person is treated less favorably than another in a comparable situation because of their age, sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, or pregnancy. Employers are not allowed to take adverse action because of an employment discrimination claim. Adverse employment actions include separation, demotion, failure to promote, or inequality in granting benefits or assignments. Employers also cannot allow a “hostile work” environment to exist because of a person’s race, sex, national origin, disability or other protected class. If you need help, call us.
Reasonable Accommodation of a Disability. Employees are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and may have the right to have their disability accommodated by their employer. Our firm has represented individuals who need accommodations for a disability but who love their jobs and do not want to create permanent ill-will with their employers. If you need help, call us.
Family and Medical Leave. All employers of a certain size must offer 12 weeks of leave to employees for a “serious” medical condition or for the birth of a child or to care for a foster child. However, the word “serious” is defined in a manner which is somewhat favorable to employees who need the leave. A general rule is that you need to show that you have been under a doctor’s care for three or more days for your injury to be serious. This right applies to employees who have worked at least a year. If you need help, call us.
Wage Payment, Overtime and Minimum Wage Laws. You have a claim if your employer fails to pay a legitimate request for regular or overtime wages or fails to pay you the minimum wage. Pennsylvania Employment Law protects employees under the Wage Payment and Collection Law (WPCL) and the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). If you need help, call us.
Whistleblower Cases. An employee of a government agency or a company that receives funds from the government who reports fraud or abuse of government money may be entitled to a substantial monetary award. These cases have a short limitation period of 180 days to file. If you need help, call us.
Retaliation Claims. It is against the law to retaliate against someone for activity that the law protects. The law protects you from adverse employment action if you file a claim against your employer for an unlawful practice or you participate or assist with someone else’s claim. In Pennsylvania, an employee has the right to file a civil suit for employment matters that may surprise you. For instance, you cannot be fired for filing a work injury claim or for testifying in an employment law case for a co-worker. You cannot be fired for supporting a fellow employee’s unemployment claim. These are just some of the cases that can occur. If you need help, call us for a free consultation today.
Unemployment Compensation Matters. Employers often attempt to deprive an employee who loses a job through no fault of their own of unemployment benefits. Employees have paid for the right to receive unemployment insurance benefits through salary deductions. Employees have the right to receive benefits in most situations unless the particular employee quits or commits willful misconduct. We have represented many persons or small companies in unemployment hearings and in appeals to the Unemployment Compensation Board of Review. If you need help, call us.
From our law firm in Exton, the Pennsylvania employment lawyers at Wusinich, Sweeney & Ryan, LLC are proud to serve employees in need of legal services in southeastern Pennsylvania including, but not limited to, Coatesville, Atglen, Avondale, Downingtown, Elverson, Honey Brook, Kennett Square, Malvern, Modena, Oxford, Parkesburg, Phoenixville, South Coatesville, Spring City, West Chester, West Grove, Upper Darby, Haverford, Radnor, Chester, Ridley, Drexel Hill, Springfield, Marple, Concord, Upper Chichester, Aston, Middletown, Newtown, Nether Providence, Ardmore, Yeadon, Broomall, Lansdowne, Upper Providence, Darby, and Philadelphia.
We represent clients throughout Chester County, Lancaster County and Delaware County including but not limited to Downingtown, West Chester, Exton, Coatesville, Phoenixville, Malvern, Lyndell, Wagontown, Uwchland, Parkesburg, Chester Springs.
