Noble Law Firm Participates in 4ALL Statewide Service Day
On March 7th, lawyers from across the state joined forces with The North Carolina Bar Association for it’s sixth annual “4ALL Statewide Service Day“, where from 7am to 7pm, North Carolina residents got to talk to a lawyer and ask legal questions–for free! The event took place in 8 locations across the state–from Wilmington to the Triangle to Greensboro, where volunteers managed to carry on despite a power outage. The result: 456 attorneys, paralegals, law students and other volunteers fielded …
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Don’t Leave Your Money on the Table
If your employer has decided to end its relationship with you, you should hire an expert employment attorney to help you part ways with dignity, grace, and financial and career security. Often, employers offer what is called a “separation agreement” or “severance agreement” that will govern your exit from the company and your mutual obligations after your exit. There are ten very good reasons why you should hire an employment lawyer to review and negotiate your separation agreement prior to …
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Employment Contracts: Why You Should Actually Read Them
“Sign now, read later” is usually a bad plan with Employment Agreements as it can have particularly awful consequences. I often meet with clients shortly after they have resigned or have been terminated from their job. At the exit interview the client may have been advised by the company that all of their “restrictive covenants” remain in effect. Generally speaking, “restrictive covenants” relate to activities that the former employee is NOT allowed to do post-employment. Some examples may be to …
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Put and Get Everything in Writing
Sure, you have a great relationship with everyone at work. You trust your boss. You love your coworkers. Never had a problem with Susan from HR. Everything is just hunky-dory. Nobody expects an employment relationship to sour. But it happens, even to the best employees. That’s why you should put everything important in writing, and where possible, ask to get everything promised to you or expected of you in writing. If you get called into a meeting with your managers …
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Attorney Laura Noble Named Expert Attorney Workplace Investigator
Laura Noble of The Noble Law Firm in Chapel Hill has accepted membership in the Workplace Investigations Group (WIG) Directory of Expert Attorney Workplace Investigators. WIG is a nation-wide directory of attorneys providing workplace investigation services throughout the nation who have the necessary credentials, time and ability to conduct impartial and objective investigations and to testify about their investigative process and factual findings if litigation ensues. Noble holds one of two membership seats in the Federal District Court – Middle …
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Wrongful Discharge Claims Under North Carolina Law Must Plead a Specific Public Policy Basis to Avoid a Motion to Dismiss
In the recent case of Horne v. Cumberland County Hosp. Sys., 2013 N.C. App. LEXIS 720 (2013), the North Carolina Court of Appeals held that when a plaintiff alleges wrongful termination in violation of the state’s public policy, the complaint must allege “specific conduct by a defendant that violated a specific expression of North Carolina public policy.” (quoting Considine v. Compass Grp. USA, Inc., 145 N.C. App. 314, 321-22, 551 S.E.2d 179, 184 (emphasis added), aff’d per curiam, 354 N.C. 568, 557 S.E.2d 528 (2001)). The court further explained that …
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Financial Executives Group Invites Laura Noble to Speak on The Top Ten Employment Laws Executives Need to Know
Laura Noble of The Noble Law Firm in Chapel Hill has been selected by The Financial Executives Networking Group (FENG) Raleigh, NC Chapter to speak to members on the Top Ten Employment Laws Executives Need to Know on October 9, 2013. The group selected Noble due to her niche practice focused exclusively on employment law. The presentation will inform participants about the latest employment law developments, provide an introduction to a number of employment laws and explore new ideas on …
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Laura Noble Appointed to NC Advocates for Justice Order of Service for 2013
Chapel Hill lawyer chosen to promote the NCAJ mission of protecting people’s rights in the workplace, at home and in the environment. Laura Noble of The Noble Law Firm in Chapel Hill has been named in the Order of Service for the NC Advocates for Justice (NCAJ) for 2013. Members of the NCAJ Order of Service promote individual rights and protect the safety of North Carolina’s families in the workplace, in the home, and in the environment – they represent …
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What Does “Employment at Will” Really Mean?
In North Carolina, the employment relationship is described as “at-will.” That means that an employer can terminate you for any reason, even an unreasonable one, as long as it’s not one forbidden by law or express agreement. While this is a relatively simply statement to make, it is a lot less simple to understand in the real world. We often find ourselves explaining to frustrated employees why a terribly unfair workplace situation is not necessarily the basis of a law …
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Say It Isn’t Snow
Given the horrible winter we’ve been having, I’m not surprised that I’ve been asked this question more than once in recent weeks. “My office was closed for one day due to the weather and road conditions. Now, they are telling me that I have to burn a vacation day for my “day off”. It was hardly a vacation and it wasn’t my choice to stay home. Can they do this?” Before I answer the question, I’m going to make some …
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