Businesses in the greater Toledo metro area are often the focus of litigation, from employees, contractors or other businesses. The following is a brief overview of some common types of lawsuits businesses might face.
Lawsuits based on discrimination
Many business face allegations of discrimination or wrongful termination. Under federal law, employers cannot discriminate against employees based on the employee’s race, color, national origin, religion or sex. In addition, employers cannot discriminate against female employees based on pregnancy or a related condition. Under federal law, employers must pay male and female employees the same wages if they are performing the same work in the same workplace. Also, employers cannot discriminate against workers age 40 or up based on the worker’s age and employers cannot discriminate against qualified workers who are disabled.
Lawsuits based on violations of wage and hour laws
Under federal law, nonexempt employees must be paid overtime when earned. In addition, under Ohio law, workers must pay at least the minimum wage of $8.80/hour with some exceptions. Sometimes lawsuits are also brought against employers by employees who believe they were misclassified as independent contractors. This is significant, as independent contractors do not have a right to employee benefits, overtime pay or workers’ compensation, unlike employees.
Lawsuits based on torts
Sometimes lawsuits are brought against a business by someone who suffered damages based on tort law. For example, if an employer negligently injures a person or that person’s property, they may be held accountable in court. Or, if an employer commits false arrest or a wrongful eviction, this can also lead to a tort claim. Tort claims are filed in civil court.
Lawsuits based on breach of contract
Contracts are the backbone for many business dealings in Ohio. However, if one party believes the other party did not fulfill their end of the bargain, it could result in a breach of contract claim. Some breach of contract claims are brought by suppliers, vendors, contractors and others who work with the business.
Learn more about business litigation
Ultimately, this post is for informational purposes only and does not contain legal advice. Those who want to learn more about business litigation are invited to explore our firm’s website for further information on this topic.
