Labor and Employment

The laws impacting employees and employers are complex. Mr. Fish has extensive experiences representing both employees and employers in employment law matters. Examples of employment law matters Mr. Fish has handled include:

• Sexual harassment/gender discrimination
• Race discrimination
• Hour and wage violations
• Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
• Commission claims
• Wage payment and Collection Act Claims
• Non-compete and non-solicitation agreements
• Severance Agreements
• Protection of Trade Secrets (i.e., when an employee takes customer lists or other property upon termination, often to compete with the employer)
• Employee relationships

The Fish Law Firm, P.C. was retained to defend a Chicago based hotel against a putative class action lawsuit that alleged violations of wage and hour laws, including the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, defamation, and discrimination. Mr. Fish was successful in having the court deny class certification and dismiss all claims brought by two of the class representatives for discovery sanctions. Thereafter, the remaining class representatives agreed to dismiss their claims without being paid any money. The case was dismissed with prejudice within 6 months of Mr. Fish being retained. Vestal v. Wyndham Garden Hotel Chicago O'Hare, et al, 2007 c 2685. (December 2007, Judge Grady, Northern District of Illinois)

The Fish Law Firm P.C. represented the former chief financial officer of an Oswego, Illinois company. The lawsuit alleged that the company owed the former chief financial officer hundreds of thousands of dollars because it refused to honor a one sentence severance provision in an employment contract and had also refused to repay a promissory note. Accordingly, claims were brought for breach of contract and violations of the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act. The lawsuit was settled shortly after the lawsuit was filed. (Kendall County, Yorkville, Illinois, Judge McCann, February 2008)