Employment
Law
Resources
Copyright TKA 2008

215-750-3134
Timothy Kolman & Associates
Since 1991
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is the principal federal equal employment opportunity law.  It protects employees from discrimination based on their sex, race, religion, color, pregnancy or national origin.  It also protects employees from sexual harassment and from retaliation for complaining about harassment.  It applies to private employers who have fifteen or more employees.  It also applies to governmental agencies, employment agencies and labor unions.

Age Discrimination and Employment Act of 1967 (the ADEA).  The act protects individuals age forty or over from discrimination on the basis of their age.  This protection extends from hiring to any other conditions of employment based on age.  In order to be subject to the ADEA, the employer must have twenty or more employees.
 
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (the ADA) prohibits discrimination against individuals who have a disability.  Like Title VII, it applies to employers who have fifteen or more employees.  In Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act also provides state remedies which parallel the federal remedies.  Whereas pain and suffering and certain other damages for Title VII, the ADEA, and the ADA are capped at $300,000.00 there is no cap on damages under the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act and it is important for us to file a complaint with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission and with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to preserve your rights under state and federal law. 

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) gives enhanced protections for employees who report corporate fraud and adds penalties for retaliation taken against whistle blowers who complain about, or provide truthful information to a supervisor or law enforcement officer regarding the possible commission of activities that violate federal laws against fraud. The remedies available under Sarbanes-Oxley are the same regardless of whether an appeal is taken before a federal district court or an ALJ, and the ALJ discovery procedures closely follow the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
Helpful Links
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commissions: www.eeoc.gov
Pennslvania Department Of Labor & Industry (Unemployment):  www.dli.state.pa.us