Monday, June 28, 2010

Pennsylvania Employment lawyer

Employment Law & Personal Injury in Chester County and Montgomery County
At the Gallagher Law Group, P.C., formerly known as the Law Offices of John A. Gallagher, P.C., we are committed to serving the needs of our clients across the range of workplace rights issues, from handling Unemployment Compensation Hearings to the litigation of complex employer retaliation claims or Non-Compete matters. We also handle personal injury and disability claims that affect your ability to work.

To learn how our experience and distinctive approach to employment law can benefit you, contact us in Paoli or any of our other five southeastern Pennsylvania offices.

We even the odds when you're facing a major corporate employer
Our thorough integration of high technology into every aspect of our practice allows us to develop and present cases with the maximum efficiency. That gives us the chance to use our time keeping in touch with our clients rather than groping for files and phone numbers. It also helps us confront even the biggest employers on something like an even footing. Our opponents often outspend us, but they never overwhelm us.
Employer defendants in workplace litigation are notorious for papering their smaller and financially weaker opponents into submission. The thought is that eventually, either you or your lawyer won't be able to afford to continue with the case or will lose the will do carry on. We know how to neutralize that advantage by seizing the initiative in defining the issues, streamlining the discovery stages of the case, and making sure your claim is ready for settlement or even trial before our opponents even know what hit them.

John A. Gallagher was selected as a Top Employment Lawyer by his peers in both 2009 and 2010 by Main Line Today. Our experience helps us position your case for prompt success.

While it's often to your advantage to settle the case on favorable terms as quickly as possible, we can usually get your claims before a judge or administrative hearing officer within six months of filing. That's lightning fast in the world of litigation. Our focus on representing individuals with workplace issues, the selective nature of our practice, and our ability to respond quickly to your needs and tactical opportunities can make all the difference in the outcome of your case.
We represent all kinds of clients: professionals, hourly workers, salaried employees, foreign nationals, laborers, professionals, technicians, older workers caught in a reduction in force, and female middle managers whose careers have mysteriously stalled under the weight of the glass ceiling.

In addition to employment law matters, we handle Disability Claims and routinely assist our clients on Personal Injury claims that affect their ability to work. We know how to maximize personal injury recoveries, while at the same time protecting your loss of income through Short-Term Disability and Long-Term Disability claims. We are also experienced at protecting your job rights through statutes such as FMLA and ADA, and laws protecting you from wrongful termination.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

PHILADELPHIA UNEMPLOYMENT LAWYER TELLS YOU HOW TO COMPLETE A CLAIMANT QUESTIONNAIRE

PENNSYLVANIA UNEMPLOYMENT ATTORNEY

If you are applying for unemployment benefits in Chester County, Montgomery County, Delaware County or Philadelphia, you may have to complete a Claimant Questionnaire. Usually, these are sent out when you have been terminated and the employer is fighting your unemployment claim. Here are some important things to know.

PHILADELPHIA UNEMPLOYMENT LAWYER

One, you do not have to answer each question! The form suggests that you do, but you do not have to.

UNEMPLOYMENT LAWYER IN CHESTER COUNTY

For example, Question 4 asks if you quit your job or took a leave of absence. The way it is written, it seems to some that you must pick one of these. You do not! Answer this question only if you were not fired.

UNEMPLOYMENT LAWYER IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY
It gets tricky if you were forced to quit. If you were forced to quit in lieu of being fired, then answer Question 4, and then explain your answer in response to Question 5. Do not be ashamed to tell the truth. Do not try to make it sound better than it was. This works against you! Just say, they gave me a choice to quit or be fired, so I quit. Then check "yes" for question 6.

APPEALING THE DENIAL OF UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS IN PENNSYLVANIA

Whether you are initially granted or denied unemployment benefits, the decision can be appealed by you or the employer. Then a Hearing is held in Springfield, Malvern, Norristown, Bristol or Philadelphia. This Hearing is where you get to tell your full story!

CONTINGENT FEE LAWYER FOR UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS

We routinely handle unemployment claims for people in Paoli, Malvern, Downingtown, West Chester, Blue Bell, King of Prussia, Plymouth Meeting, Lansdale, Doylestown, Chalfont, Broomall, Media, Lower Providence, Philadelphia and all of the surrounding areas in Pennsylvania on a contingent fee basis. The key is to make sure that you tell the truth to unemployment, and only answer questions that apply to you.

UNEMPLOYMENT ATTORNEY IN BUCKS COUNTY

Only answer Question 6 if you quit your job. Answer 7 no matter what. If you cannot work due to a physical restriction, then you cannot get unemployment benefits. But, if you have only minor limitations, spell that out! You do not want to lose your claim because unemployment mistakenly believes that you are disabled from all jobs.

PA DISABILITY LAWYER IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY

For example, even if you cannot perform your old job in the factory operating a crane because of a bad arm, that does not mean that you cannot do a different job in a whole new vocational area, such as working at a desk. Question 7 is tricky, because most people assume it is asking whether you have work restrictions that affected your ability to do your old job. That is not the case. The question is intended to determine whether you have work restrictions that would prevent you from doing any job, or at least a broad range of jobs.

PA UNEMPLOYMENT LAWYER IN PLYMOUTH MEETING

Only answer Question 8 if you quit your job! It is not applicable ("N/A") if you were fired. If you were terminated, do not answer Question 8.

PA DISABILITY ATTORNEY SERVING CHESTER COUNTY, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, DELAWARE COUNTY, BUCKS COUNTY AND PHILADELPHIA

Question 9 applies if you answered yes to 7. If you have a partial disability, then answer yes to number 9. If you answer no to number 9, you will not get unemployment - if that happens, you may want to talk to Social Security Disability Attorney. Or, if your condition is temporary, and you will be able to work in a few weeks or so, then explain that here.

And reapply for benefits every two weeks until you can finally answer yes to this question!

Otherwise, Question 9 applies to whether you are unavailable because of personal reasons, such as you are incarcerated, you are caring for an ill loved one, you are temporarily out of state, etc. Just explain honestly, and reapply every two weeks until you once again become able for work.

PA UNEMPLOYMENT ATTORNEY HELPING PEOPLE IN NEWTOWN SQUARE, DOWNINGTOWN, LANSDALE, FORT WASHINGTON, COATESVILLE, OAKS, SPRINGFIELD, ROYERSFORD, POTTSTOWN

Question 10 is a lot like Question 9. It really applies to non-medical situations, such as incarceration, being away from the area, caring for a loved one, etc.

PA UNEMPLOYMENT LAWYER HELPING PEOPLE IN PHILADELPHIA, WEST CHESTER, MEDIA, NORRISTOWN AND SPRINGFIELD

Be careful with the catch all offer to explain your situation that follows Question 10. The more you say, the more it can be used against you in an unemployment hearing. Remember, it is at the unemployment hearing that disputed claims are won or lost, no matter what happens initially!