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Valli Kane & Vagnini LLP - Employee Rights Attorneys

Understanding the law and being aware of your rights can help empower you to make decisions that will positively impact your life. We are here to help guide our clients so they feel a sense of control in difficult situations.

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Your Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Settlement Isn’t Done Until a Judge Says So; Here’s What That Means

3 Key Takeaways Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), courts must approve most settlements — but a landmark Second Circuit ruling confirmed that judges cannot rewrite the terms of a deal the parties already agreed to. There is no
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The Statue of Justice - lady justice or Iustitia / Justitia the Roman goddess of Justice

What the Bostock v. Clayton County Decision Means for LGBTQ+ Workers

{6 minutes to read}  Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employers from discriminating against an individual “because of such individual’s … sex.” 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-2(a)(1). In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court held in Bostock
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What to Expect When Mediating an Employment Discrimination Claim

3 Key Takeaways Mediation is a voluntary, confidential alternative to going to court, and it can resolve your claim faster and with far less stress. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) offers a free mediation program that resolves thousands of
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Understanding New York City Sick Leave Laws in 2026

Understanding New York’s Sick Leave Laws: What You Need to Know By Di Tian New York State has implemented a comprehensive sick leave law to ensure that private sector employees have access to paid or unpaid sick leave. Here’s a
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How to Prepare a Strong Discrimination Claim Against Your Employer

3 Key Takeaways Workplace discrimination is illegal under both federal and New York State law, and you have protected rights whether you’re currently employed, job hunting, or have already been let go. Documentation is your most powerful tool: The earlier
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Discrimination in Housing: Persistent Challenges and Legal Remedies

3 Key Takeaways Housing discrimination is illegal under both federal and New York law — and it takes many forms beyond the most obvious ones, including refusing housing vouchers, inaccessible building design, and discriminatory transfer programs. The federal Fair Housing
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New York City Bans Appearance-Based Discrimination

3 Key Takeaways New York City now prohibits discrimination based on height and weight in employment, housing, and public accommodations under the New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL). The law applies to employers with four or more employees and
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Can I Bring a Hostile Work Environment Claim on the Basis of Disability in New York? 

If you've been dealing with harassment at work because of a disability, you may be wondering whether what's happening to you actually "counts" legally. The answer depends on where you work and which law applies — but New York workers have some of the strongest protections in the country.
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Workplace Discrimination? Get that Complaint Filed!

3 Key Takeaways Federal law protects employees from many forms of workplace discrimination — and most states add even more protections on top of that. There are strict deadlines for filing a complaint. Missing them can cost you your right
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New York Lawyer dealing with major changes to Non-Competition Agreements

Major Changes on the Horizon for New York’s Laws on Non-Competition Agreements

If you’ve ever started a new job and been handed a stack of paperwork that includes a non-compete agreement — also called a non-competition agreement — you’re not alone.
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New York State’s Sweeping Anti-Sexual Harassment Legislation

If you're an employee in New York, you have some of the strongest workplace sexual harassment protections in the country. And those protections have been getting stronger. Here's a clear breakdown of where things stand today — what employers are required to do, what rights you have if something has already happened, and what's changed in recent years.
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Think Before You Send That Email: Don’t Expect Privacy in the Workplace

3 Key Takeaways Federal and state law give employees very little privacy protection when using company-owned devices or systems at work. Employers can legally monitor email, phone calls, computer activity, and even record video of employees in many situations. Most
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Interpreting Title VII

For decades, there was a live debate about whether federal law protected LGBTQ+ employees from workplace discrimination. The argument went like this: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin — but it never explicitly mentioned sexual orientation or gender identity. Congress had considered expanding the law but never passed it. Courts were split. Workers in some states had protection; workers in others didn't.
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Employment Overwatch: The EEOC

If you've ever wondered what happens after someone reports discrimination at work, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is usually at the center of it. The EEOC is the federal agency responsible for enforcing laws that protect workers from discrimination. Think of it as the watchdog for fairness in the workplace.
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Businessperson Signing Cheque In Office

Criminalizing Wage Theft, New Jersey, New York, and California

Wage theft happens when an employer fails to pay workers the wages they have legally earned. It can take many forms, including unpaid overtime, off-the-clock work, withheld tips, illegal deductions, or simply not paying employees for all the hours they worked.
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Wage and Hour Litigation: Are You Being Paid What You Deserve? by Robert J. Valli, Jr.

Wage and Hour Litigation: Are You Being Paid What You Deserve?

Wage theft doesn't always look obvious. Sometimes it's a paycheck that seems fine on the surface but doesn't actually add up when you do the math. Two of the most common violations we see affecting employees involve minimum wage and overtime, and both are governed by federal and state law.
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Employment Discrimination-Know Your Rights

Sometimes it's a pattern of being passed over, treated differently, or pushed out. Other times it's more direct. Either way, if something about how you're being treated at work feels wrong, it's worth understanding what the law actually protects — because the answer might surprise you.
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Being Treated “Less Well” vs. Adverse Employment Action

A lot of people think workplace discrimination only “counts” if something dramatic happens — like losing your job or getting passed over for a promotion. But in New York City, the law actually widens the scope of what counts as an actionable claim, meaning if you are being treated unfairly at work, you may actually have a case. This article breaks down a key legal distinction — being treated “less well” versus experiencing an “adverse employment action” — and explains what it means for you.
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Artificial Intelligence in Employment Decisions

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionized the way many businesses operate, and the realm of employment decisions is no exception. Before a human ever sees your resume, an algorithm may have already eliminated you. AI tools now screen, score, and filter job candidates at scale — and when those tools are built on biased data, they can discriminate just as effectively as any person. Here's what the law says about it.
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Protecting Privacy: New York State’s Social Media Access Law

Most people know their employer can look at their public social media. But did you know there are laws in New York that protect your private accounts, your off-duty posts, and even set rules around how employers can monitor you digitally? Here's what you should know.
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