Tampa Employment Lawyer

Tampa Employment Attorney

Employment law is a broad field that covers everything from anti-discrimination legislation to wrongful termination and wage and hour laws. If you’re having an issue at work that you believe may violate your rights as a worker, you should turn to a Tampa employment lawyer for help.

Trust the Law Offices of Gary A. Costales, P.A.

The team here at the Law Offices of Gary A. Costales, P.A., has been practicing employment law for years. We’re intimately familiar with all of the relevant employment laws in Florida and know how to apply them to your case to determine whether you have a claim. We can help you with everything from filing paperwork to gathering evidence and negotiating a settlement with your employer.

Why Hire an Employment Lawyer?

As of August 2025, Florida had a 3.8% unemployment rate. Its labor rate was 57.70%. That means the majority of people in Florida are gainfully employed. Unfortunately, while Florida has some protections in place for workers, it’s also the second in the nation for Equal Employment Opportunity Commission charges.

If you’re one of the many residents of Cigar City having trouble with your boss, you can get help from a Tampa employment attorney. When you hire an employment lawyer, you improve your chances of successfully filing a claim, no matter the root cause of your complaint. Having a lawyer on your team gives you access to their knowledge and experience, making it easier to do everything from filing paperwork to collecting evidence and negotiating with employers.

Employment Discrimination

It’s illegal to discriminate against employees in Florida based on certain protected characteristics. They include:

• Race
• Color
• National origin
• Gender
• Disability status
• Pregnancy
• And others

If you’ve been discriminated against in the workplace, you should contact a lawyer right away. It can be difficult to prove discrimination, whether it comes in the form of repeatedly refused promotions or an unexplained firing, but we can help you build a case against your employer.

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

If you’ve found yourself the victim of sexual harassment in the workplace, you could be eligible to receive compensation for your suffering. Sexual harassment comes in two forms:

1. Quid pro quo
2. Hostile environment

While employers typically engage in quid pro quo harassment, fellow employees are often the culprits when it comes to creating a hostile environment. If you believe you’ve been sexually harassed by anyone at your workplace, you should hire a lawyer to help you file a claim and hold the responsible parties accountable.

Violation of Wage and Hour Laws

Florida has wage and hour laws in place that require employers to pay their employees a minimum wage and to compensate them for overtime hours if they work more than 40 hours per week. If you’re not receiving the right amount of money for the work you’ve been performing, that’s wage theft. Filing a claim against your employer could get you both back pay and punitive damages.

Wrongful Termination

Because Florida is a right-to-work state, employers can fire employees for no reason at all. However, they cannot fire employees for illegal reasons. Wrongful termination occurs when an employer fires an employee due to discrimination or retaliation, or in breach of the employment contract. You may be able to seek restitution from your former employer or get your job back if you’ve been wrongfully terminated.

Handling Non-Compete Agreements

Workers are sometimes asked to sign non-compete agreements to prevent them from working for direct competitors after leaving their current jobs. The purpose of these agreements is to protect valuable business secrets and customer relationships, but they can be so broad in scope that they prevent workers from finding other jobs in their fields. If you’ve found yourself in this position, contact an employment lawyer to find out whether your non-compete agreement is enforceable.

FAQs

Your Tampa Employment Lawyer

If you’re concerned that your employer has violated your rights as an employee, it’s time to turn to a Tampa employment lawyer for help. You can trust the Law Offices of Gary A. Costales, P.A. Our team has been handling employment cases of all sorts for years, and in that time, we’ve seen it all. We can help you resolve your legal issue with your employer, too. Contact us to schedule an initial consultation today.