Blake Ferris is a trustworthy New York City employment law attorney with Phillips & Associates. He is dedicated to representing workers harmed by their employers’ legal violations, whether it involves workplace discrimination or wage and hour disputes. Our firm represents clients on a contingency fee basis and offers a free initial consultation.
Employment Discrimination Lawyer in New York City
Mr. Ferris graduated from Fordham University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in finance in 2019. He made the Dean’s List in 2016 and 2017. During college, he participated in the Investment Banking Society, A Moment of Magic, and Autism Speaks. Additionally, Mr. Ferris served as the Director to a student run 501(c)(3) firm offering pro-bono consulting services to local Bronx businesses.
Mr. Ferris earned his Juris Doctor from Brooklyn Law School in 2022. He received a Richardson Scholarship and served as Vice President/Co-founder of the Tort Law Society and was a member of the Labor & Employment Law Association.
Prior to joining Phillips & Associates, Mr. Ferris worked as a law clerk at a busy mid-size insurance defense firm in Manhattan, where he assisted firm partners and attorneys in the defense of commercial litigation. Additionally, Mr. Ferris was a legal extern with a number of New York firms and agencies, among them the United States Postal Service, where he worked on employment law issues involving the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
Employment Discrimination Laws in New York City
Mr. Ferris fights for workers’ rights. Among your rights on the job is to be free from discrimination, harassment, or retaliation based on a protected trait. Discrimination occurs when an employer takes adverse steps against you based on particular personal characteristics or circumstances protected under federal, state, or local. Adverse steps your employer could take that would run afoul of anti-discrimination laws could include failing to hire, termination, failure to promote, failure to provide equal opportunities, disparate compensation, and harassment.
Federal laws that protect your rights include the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), and the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). These laws are enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
The New York State Human Rights Law and the New York City Human Rights Law also forbid discrimination based on a range of traits. Among the traits protected under the city law are:
- Color
- Race
- National origin
- Religion
- Sex
- Marital status
- Gender identity
- Pregnancy and lactation accommodations
- Caregiver status
- Sexual orientation
- Arrest/conviction record
- Sexual and reproductive health decisions
- Domestic violence or sex crimes victim status
- Disability
- Veteran status
- Credit history
- Unemployment status
- Salary history
- Pre-employment marijuana testing.
Damages
If Mr. Ferris and our team of attorneys are able to establish a workplace discrimination lawsuit, you may be entitled to a damages award or settlement. These damages are intended to put you back in the position you would have been in had there been no discrimination, including the job, pay, and benefits you would have had, if you had not been the subject of discrimination. When an employer’s conduct in connection with discrimination is outrageous, it may be appropriate for our lawyers to also seek punitive damages, which are damages intended to punish and deter.
Call Trustworthy New York City Employment Attorneys
Mr. Ferris can take the facts of your situation in order to ensure that the experienced lawyers of Phillips & Associates are able to mount the best possible fight for damages in your case. Our New York City firm represents workers in Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Suffolk County, and Nassau County, among other places. Complete our online form or call us at (212) 248-7431 if you believe you may have a claim.
