Cases We Handle

Civil Rights Cases

Find solutions for your employment and civil rights cases and get the settlement you deserve. Rely on the Law Offices of Peter G. Cogan, P.S. in Seattle, WA. We represent citizens who have been subjected to police misconduct and other deprivations of basic civil rights.

Employment Law

We provide counseling and representation of clients in state and federal courts, as well as administrative agencies, on workplace based on matters including the following:

• Civil Service Hearings
• Covenants Not to Compete
• Employment Discrimination
• Age
• Disability
• Gender
• National
• Origin
• Race
• Religion
• Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
• OSHA and WISHA Cases
• Pregnancy Discrimination
• Public Employee Rights
• Federal Government
• Local Government
• State Government
• Review or Negotiation of Severance Agreements
• Sexual Harassment or Other Discriminatory Hostile Environment
• State or Federal Laws
• Unemployment Hearings and Appeals
• Violations of Employment Contracts
• Wage and Hour Violations
• Whistle Blower Rights (Retaliation against employees who oppose illegal activities)
• Wrongful Termination

Wage and Hour Violations

Many workers find themselves in an unpaid wages dispute when employers illegally withhold or deny earned wages. In these cases, workers have the right to recover payment through legal action against employers. Wage, hour and overtime violations may involve:

• Failure to pay agreed-upon wages
• Failure to pay final wages
• Failure to pay for “off-the-clock” work (including pre-shift and post-shift work, on-call time, mandatory meetings or travel time)
• Misclassification of employees as exempt from overtime payment (for example, classifying an hourly worker as an independent contractor, professional, administrative, or outside salesperson)
• Unpaid or denied rest breaks & lunch breaks
• Unpaid overtime wages
• Withholding a portion of earned wages without an employee’s written agreement; other improper deductions from wages

Exempt and Nonexempt Workers

It is important for workers to be aware that employers sometimes deliberately misclassify hourly (or nonexempt) workers as exempt workers, thus barring those employees from the overtime pay to which they are legally entitled. An exempt employee is generally a salaried professional, a manager, or someone whose job responsibilities fall outside the traditional 40-hour workweek. Nonexempt workers, on the other hand, are entitled to overtime pay for any work exceeding 40 hours per week. If you believe your job has been misclassified in order to deny you breaks or overtime pay, you may have a case for a wage and hour violation claim.

What the Law Requires

The Washington Minimum Wage Act requires that all employees be paid at least the state minimum wage, and that the employee be paid 1.5 times his regular hourly wage for all hours worked in excess of 40 hours per week. If your employer has paid you less than law requires, Attorney Peter Cogan can help you recover the payment to which you are legally entitled. Additional laws governing hours of work, pay, overtime, and employee compensation include the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Washington Wage Payment Act, the Washington Wage Rebate Act, and many other federal and state regulations.

Public Records Act

Washington State guarantees citizens the right to freely access government records so that citizens can monitor and hold governmental units accountable. We are experienced in representing persons seeking to vindicate their right to fully access public records.

Class Action Cases

We represent employees in employment law class action cases, including cases involving off-the-clock work, job misclassification, and the failure to reimburse for out of pocket expenses and travel time.

Join Us in Promoting Workplace Justice

Please contact us at (206) 382-9896 if you believe your legal case is one which may also serve to vindicate the rights of many employees against your employer. We believe that employers are not above the law, and that employee can stand up for their rights and be justly compensated for employer wrongdoing.