Cook County is the second largest county in the U.S. It encompasses the diverse and renowned city of Chicago and houses 40 percent of all Illinois residents. Though tourists flock to visit Cook County’s towering skyscrapers, excellent theatres, memorable museums, and abundant restaurants, those who live here deal with the same employment matters that complicate life for the rest of the country.
If you reside in Cook County and are confronting an intractable employment issue, S.T. Legal Group in Deerfield is well-prepared to provide you with outstanding legal representation. Our principal attorney, Diana Servos, has comprehensive knowledge of state and federal employment law, agile negotiation and litigation skills, and a deep personal concern for her clients. The sooner you contact her, the sooner she can clarify and help to resolve your employment problem.
S.T. Legal Group Provides Guidance in All Areas of Employment in Cook County
Whichever side or an employment issue you’re on, Diana Servos is on your side. Recognized as a Rising Star in Illinois Super Lawyers, she has the determination and agility to negotiate any and all employment matters that arise, including those involving:
- Hiring
- Performance evaluation
- Promotion
- Discipline
- Discrimination
- Termination
Diana is highly adept at resolving disputes through amicable negotiation but has the ability to be an aggressive litigator when necessary. Whether your situation requires negotiation, mediation, arbitration or litigation, you can trust Diana Servos to see to it that your interests are well-served.
Diana Servos Is the Wise Choice for Your Cook County Employment Lawyer
Diana is equally well-prepared to help you whether you are an employer trying to comply with state regulations or tackle an employee’s claims of wrongful termination or an employee who has been discriminated against or underpaid.
S.T. Legal Group works with employers and employees in small to midsize businesses in all types of industries. Diana Servos is equally comfortable working with retail or factory workers, administrative assistants, and those in executive positions. There are several advantages to having her as your legal advocate, including, but certainly not limited to, her communications skills, her deft ability to plan ahead and strategize, and her flexible, cost-effective rates.
S.T. Legal Group Will Draft and Review Employment Documents to Protect You
S.T. Legal spends time carefully drafting and reviewing documents and handbooks to clarify exactly what behavior will and will not be tolerated in the workplace. If you are an employer, S.T. Legal Group can assist you in setting up your company to run smoothly by dealing with potential problems proactively. To this end, we will create any needed employee handbooks as well as contracts and other employment agreements.
If you are an employee, we can help you by reviewing and interpreting any documents you have signed, or are getting ready to sign, in order to explain their stipulations and determine whether they are legally binding.
Cook County Employment Agreements
In order to protect employees and employers from one another’s misconduct, S.T. Legal Group is committed to preparing/implementing documents, handbooks, training sessions, and other means to set up systems to clarify what is, and is not, acceptable workplace behavior. Such documents include:
- Employment agreements specifying the terms and conditions of employment (e.g. employees’ duties, hours, compensation, employment benefits)
- Nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) designed to protect the company’s confidential business information (e.g. intellectual property, trade secrets, client lists)
- Noncompete agreements to prevent departing employees, particularly executives, sales people and other key personnel, from taking positions with competitors or starting a competing business
- Severance agreements outlining the details surrounding termination of employment
Our overriding goal is to establish a workplace that is comfortable as well as productive for all concerned.
Other Practice Areas of S.T. Legal Group
Other primary practice areas of S.T. Legal Group include:
Employment Discrimination
State and federal laws prohibit employers from making employment decisions (hiring, compensation, training, promoting) based on protected characteristics, such as: age, race, color, national origin, sex, disability, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity. One of Diana Servos’s most significant tasks is settling disputes of employees who claim discrimination.
Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment is considered a type of discrimination and can be perpetrated against an individual of any gender, sexual orientation or gender identity. Workplace harassment can occur in two basic ways:
- Quid pro quo in which a person in a position of authority demands sexual favors from a subordinate in exchange for a promotion or other benefit of employment.
- Hostile work environment in which unwanted conduct, comments, or visual displays interfere with an individual’s ability to work.
Wage & hour Disputes
Wage and hour disputes arise when employees claim that they have been paid less than the minimum wage, misclassified as an independent contractor, denied commissions or bonuses, or (if they are nonexempt employees) had overtime pay unfairly withheld.
Wrongful Termination
As you are probably aware, Illinois, like the vast majority of states, has an at-will employment policy, meaning employment relationships can be terminated at any time for any reason or no reason at all. Nonetheless, several federal and state laws protect employees from wrongful termination that either breaches an existing contract, is discriminatory or retaliatory for an act of whistleblowing, or interferes with the employee’s right to serve the community by voting, serving on a jury, or being in military service.
Diana Servos represents clients in administrative proceedings before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR), as well as in both state and federal courts. She has a track record of effectively resolving employment disputes and helping employers and employees alike achieve workplace fairness.
Contact Our Experienced Cook County Employment Attorney: Diana Servos
Whether you are an employee who feels you have been treated unfairly by your employer or an employee who believes a disgruntled employee is doing you wrong, you can count on Diana Servos’s thoughtful counsel and strong representation to help you achieve a positive outcome. Call for an appointment today so we can begin giving you the competent, caring legal assistance you deserve.