Author: Joyce Smithey

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Articles written by Joyce Smithey

Joyce Smithey, a seasoned employment and labor law attorney, has over 22 years of experience representing both employers and employees in Maryland and D.C. Her practice, rooted in a deep understanding of employment law, spans administrative hearings to federal litigation. Joyce's approach is comprehensive, focusing on protecting client interests while ensuring legal compliance. A Harvard graduate, her career began in Fortune 500 companies, transitioning to law after a degree from Boston University School of Law. Joyce's expertise is recognized by numerous awards, including Maryland’s Top 100 Women. At Smithey Law Group LLC, which she founded in 2018, Joyce continues to champion employment rights, drawing on her rich background in law and business.

Understanding Constructive Discharge

Employees of both large corporations and small businesses deserve respect and workplace safety. No one should have to endure bullying, harassment, or abuse at work. But sometimes, employees feel forced to resign because workplace abuse and harassment have become so...

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Know The Difference Between Workplace Bullying and Sexual Harassment

We all remember the taunts of the schoolyard bully. And certainly, we would all like to forget them! It seems some people simply cannot leave their bullying on the schoolyard. Sometimes, it’s a manager who engages in persistent workplace bullying...

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What Kinds of Behaviors Are Considered Sexual Harassment?

Sexual harassment is unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature in the workplace that is severe or pervasive enough to create a hostile work environment or to condition a job benefit on submission to sexual demands. Title VII of the Civil...

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Can I Fire an Employee Who Brought a Gun to Work?

As an employer, you have an obligation to keep employees and guests safe in your workplace. Different people have different perspectives on safety. An employee working a late shift might feel safer having a weapon available to them as they...

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Can You Be Fired for Taking a Leave of Absence?

Taking care of yourself and your household is not always about the money you bring home from work. Sometimes you need time off to tend to important personal or family matters. If you need this type of break and want...

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How Do You Prove Breach of Fiduciary Duty?

Breach of fiduciary duty is a Maryland cause of action that allows a beneficiary to recover damages when a person in a position of trust acts against the beneficiary's interest. Trustees, business partners, corporate officers, attorneys, and other fiduciaries must...

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What Happens to Employees During Mergers and Acquisitions in Maryland?

Whether you are an employee on the buyer or target side of a merger and acquisition, one word that likely comes to mind is uncertainty. Any merger & acquisition will come with some form of change potentially drastically affecting the...

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Can I Sue My Employer for Firing Me Under False Accusations?

A wrongful termination lawsuit based on false accusations is a civil legal action in which a former employee seeks damages from an employer who fabricated misconduct as a pretext for illegal discrimination, retaliation, or breach of contract. You can sue...

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What to Do If Your Employer Won’t Reimburse Business Expenses

The transactional relationship between you and an employer should be a simple exchange: Your employer needs to compensate you each time you perform work for it. But what happens when your work obligations incur costs or require you to spend...

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What Is the Average Settlement for a Discrimination Lawsuit?

Each and every one of us is unique. That’s a simple and undeniable truth. No two people anywhere in the world are exactly alike. Though this is true, and though we are all unique in our own ways, we all...

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