Employment representation grounded in 80+ years of work on behalf of clients in St. Louis and the surrounding area.
If you’ve been fired without justification, passed over for a promotion you earned, or pushed out of a job because of who you are, Missouri law may give you a path to hold your employer accountable. Our St. Louis, MO employment lawyer at TGH Litigation has spent decades representing Missouri workers in discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and wage disputes, and we offer free initial consultations to help you understand your options.
Employment Lawyer St. Louis, MO
An employment attorney represents workers in legal disputes with their employers. The work ranges from advising employees who aren’t sure whether something illegal happened, to filing charges with government agencies, or trying cases in federal court. Missouri is an at-will employment state, which means employers can generally terminate workers for any reason but not for an illegal one. That distinction matters, and understanding it is where the legal analysis usually starts.
What makes employment cases complicated is that the law protects workers at multiple levels simultaneously. Federal statutes like Title VII, the ADA, and the ADEA set a baseline of protections that apply across the country. Missouri’s Human Rights Act adds a separate layer of state law protections, and in some respects covers more ground than federal law does. Knowing which claims to pursue, in which forum, and on what timeline requires a working knowledge of both systems. An attorney who handles these cases regularly understands how those layers interact and where the strongest arguments tend to live, which matters when you’re deciding whether to file with a state agency, the EEOC, or go to court.
Types of Employment Cases We Handle in St. Louis
Our attorneys have handled employment disputes across the full spectrum of workplace law. Each case starts with the same assessment of what happened and if the law provides a remedy. Here are examples of employment cases we can take on:
- Employment discrimination. We represent employees who’ve been treated differently because of their race, gender, age, disability, religion, or national origin. That includes hiring, firing, promotions, pay, and working conditions.
- Sexual harassment. Whether it’s quid pro quo harassment from a supervisor or a hostile work environment created by coworkers, these are serious claims with real legal remedies. TGH Litigation has tried and won these cases.
- Wrongful termination. If you were fired for discriminatory reasons, for reporting misconduct, or for exercising a legal right, that termination may not have been lawful. We evaluate these situations carefully and pursue them when the facts support it.
- Whistleblowers. Employees who report illegal conduct internally or to a government agency are protected from retaliation. TGH Litigation has a history of representing whistleblowers and obtaining results.
- Wage and hour disputes. Unpaid overtime, off-the-clock work requirements, and misclassification of employees as independent contractors or exempt are all actionable under federal and Missouri law.
- Retaliation. Retaliation is one of the most frequently filed employment claims. It doesn’t require proving the underlying discrimination, just that you engaged in protected activity and your employer took adverse action because of it.
- Contract and severance matters. Employment agreements, non-compete clauses, and severance packages are areas where legal review before you sign can protect your interests significantly.
- Employment at educational institutions. TGH Litigation handles employment matters involving faculty, staff, and administrators at schools and universities, including Title IX-related employment claims.
Why Choose TGH Litigation as My Employment Attorney in St. Louis, Missouri?
Built on Employment and Civil Rights Litigation
J. Andrew Hirth is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, the D.C. Circuit, the Eighth Circuit, the Ninth Circuit, the Eleventh Circuit, and the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Missouri. He earned his J.D. cum laude from the University of Missouri School of Law and has been recognized as a Super Lawyer for his civil rights and employment work.
Joanna Trachtenberg handles employment discrimination, whistleblower protection, workers’ compensation retaliation, and wage and hour cases, among other matters. She’s admitted in Missouri, New York, and before multiple federal courts, including the Second Circuit and the Eighth Circuit. She holds a J.D. cum laude from NYU School of Law and an M.A. in Women’s Studies, which informs her approach to gender and sex discrimination claims in particular.
Julianne Germinder earned her J.D. from Washington University School of Law and her undergraduate degrees in political science and economics magna cum laude at the University of Missouri. She received the Women’s Justice Award from Missouri Lawyers Media, a reflection of her standing in Missouri’s legal community.
Results in Real Courtrooms
The firm has helped Missouri employees recover millions of dollars in cases against well-funded institutional defendants, including verdicts against public employers like the Missouri Department of Corrections. These outcomes reflect what happens when attorneys prepare a case for verdict rather than just for disposition.
What Is Important To Understand About St. Louis Employment Cases?
Liability, Damages, and Legal Claims in Employment Cases
The legal framework for employment cases is built around a few core concepts:
- Protected characteristics: Federal and Missouri law prohibit adverse employment actions based on race, sex, age (40+), disability, religion, national origin, and other protected categories.
- Adverse employment action: Termination, demotion, pay reduction, failure to promote, or a materially hostile working environment.
- Causation: Connecting the protected characteristic or protected activity to the adverse action is where most cases are won or lost.
- Damages: Remedies include back pay, front pay, compensatory damages for emotional distress, and in some cases punitive damages or attorney’s fees.
- At-will employment: Missouri’s default rule, but it does not protect employers who act for illegal reasons.
What Are Important Aspects of an Employment Case?
When it comes to the important aspects of an employment case, there are a few things that make a difference:
- Sequence of events, especially when an adverse action follows a complaint.
- Written documentation, including performance reviews, emails, or texts from supervisors.
- How similarly situated employees outside your protected class were treated.
- Whether internal complaints were made and how management responded.
- Any arbitration clause in your employment contract that affects where you can file.
What Is the Employment Case Timeline?
- Initial consultation and claim evaluation. We review the facts, assess your legal options, and tell you honestly what we think.
- Agency filing, if required. Federal discrimination claims typically require an EEOC charge before suit can be filed. Missouri claims require a charge with the Missouri Commission on Human Rights. Missing these deadlines can end your case.
- Discovery and investigation. Both sides gather evidence, documents, depositions, and third-party records.
- Settlement or mediation. Many employment cases resolve before trial, but not all. We negotiate seriously and litigate when necessary.
- Trial. Our attorneys have tried employment cases to verdict. When settlement isn’t right, we’re ready.
What Should You Bring to Your Employment Consultation?
Come prepared to talk us through what happened in your own words. We’ll ask questions and help you understand what the situation looks like legally. Here is useful information to have for your appointment:
- Bring termination letters, performance reviews, or disciplinary notices
- Any emails or texts relevant to what happened
- Employment contracts, offer letters, or handbooks
- Chronology of events including any complaints you made and how they were handled
- Details you think are minor sometimes aren’t
- A copy of your an internal complaint to HR or management
Missouri Legal Resources for Employment Cases
Missouri employees navigating workplace disputes have access to both state and federal systems. Key resources include:
- The Missouri Commission on Human Rights handles employment discrimination charges under state law. Charges must be filed within 180 days of the discriminatory act.
- The EEOC field office locator can help you find the St. Louis district office, which accepts federal discrimination charges and has jurisdiction over Missouri employers. The filing deadline is 300 days when a state agency is also involved.
- The U.S. Department of Labor handles minimum wage and overtime claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Reach Out to TGH Litigation to Schedule a Consultation
TGH Litigation offers free initial consultations for employment matters in St. Louis and across Missouri. Whether you’re trying to figure out if what happened to you was illegal, or you already know it was and need to do something about it, we’re ready to listen. Contact us to schedule your consultation.