Advising and Consulting

Bennett & Belfort, P.C. represents both employers and employees in the drafting and negotiation of non-compete agreements, non-solicitation agreements, severance agreements, and employment contracts. It is our goal to ensure that our clients are represented in all aspects of the employment relationship, from hire to separation. We work closely with our clients to troubleshoot potential issues and take action as efficiently and effectively as possible when problems arise during the course of the employment relationship, or upon termination of the employment relationship. Our seasoned labor and employment attorneys provide advisory services to our clients with the goal of keeping them out of court and free of the burden of litigation. Our counseling services include personnel handbook review and implementation, employee and management training, and investigations into complaints of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation, in an effort to ensure strict compliance with evolving legal precedents.

If you have a question about our advising and consulting practice, please contact David E. Belfort or Todd J. Bennett.

Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation

Bennett & Belfort, P.C. practices before the Massachusetts administrative agency that handles discrimination complaints, The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD), as well as its Federal counterpart, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). We also practice in both state and federal courts throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the State of Florida, and the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Our representation of companies and individuals involves numerous types of discrimination matters, such as racial discrimination, gender (sex) discrimination (including pregnancy discrimination), discrimination based upon national origin, discrimination based upon sexual orientation, housing discrimination, and other types of discrimination.

Employment-related claims we handle also involve sexual harassment, hostile work environment, reasonable accommodations, and retaliation. Our attorneys are uniquely qualified to understand our opponents and to effectively advocate for each of our clients.

Our management-side representation seeks to assist our clients in avoiding expensive and distracting employment-related litigation. Our highly accomplished labor and employment lawyers have significant experience defending all types of discrimination actions. We also represent landlords and condominium associations relating to defense of housing discrimination claims.

Our defense team moves to rapidly address each particular client’s needs in order to generate a successful strategy from the very start. We are able to afford each of our clients priority and immediate assistance aimed at maximizing the client’s likelihood of success at trial. Our attorneys possess decades of litigation experience, permitting them to guide clients on court trends and judicial leanings, as well as apply an appropriate trial strategy to meet their clients’ objectives.

Our employee-side discrimination practice focuses on advancing the rights of workers that have been unjustly terminated or deprived of the full and fair enjoyment of their profession due to their race, color, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, handicap/disability, gender discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual orientation, or genetics. In addition to substantive discrimination claims based on our clients' membership in a protected class, Bennett & Belfort, P.C. frequently handles retaliation claims for employees who have been punished by their employer for filing a discrimination claim, whether meritorious or not. Other forms of retaliatory claims we handle involve whistleblower claims.Our attorneys give each client individualized attention in an effort to identify, understand and address the unique aspect of his/her case.

Our firm is proud of our strong record of performance and we strive to minimize the impact of litigation. We provide professional and capable representation while always maintaining the highest standards of personalized customer service.

If you have a question about our discrimination, harassment and retaliation practice please contact David E. Belfort or Todd J. Bennett.

Employee Contracts, Policies and Procedures

Employers utilize numerous contracts to govern critical aspects of the employment relationship. Bennett & Belfort, P.C. works closely with clients to ensure that their best interests are protected when drafting, executing, and negotiating such contracts. When working with employers, we consult our clients about resourceful and innovative ways to use contracts to attain important business goals, to protect corporate assets and proprietary information, to establish a clear relationship between the employer and the employee, and when necessary, to establish the terms of potentially difficult terminations.

Since our main office is in Cambridge, MA, our labor and employment lawyers have represented employers throughout the Metro Boston, MA area relative to drafting, negotiating and litigating issues arising from a variety of contracts, including employment agreements, severance agreements, non-compete agreements and non-solicitation agreements.

If you have a question about our contracts, policies and procedures practice, please contact Todd J. Bennett or David E. Belfort.

Wage and Hour Violations

Massachusetts has a very stringent wage statute, which mandates triple damages and attorney’s fees for violations. Bennett & Belfort, P.C.'s labor and employment lawyers represent employers and employees at all stages of wage and hour suits, including violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (Federal), from filing an initial complaint with the appropriate Federal or State agency, through the investigation, and through trial.

If you have a question about our wage and hour practice, please contact David E. Belfort or Todd J. Bennett.