Two of Attorney Murphy’s clients recently won at their unemployment hearings after being initially denied benefits. The Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) denied benefits to these clients because the employers lied about the circumstances that lead to the separation from employment. And so Attorney Murphy is proud to have vindicated his clients after two highly contentious unemployment hearings.
Signed Confession Thrown Out
In the first case, Attorney Murphy’s client, a former cashier at a major pharmacy retail chain, was terminated for allegedly stealing $10.00 that a customer left behind at the cash register. The client denied she did anything wrong and asked for proof during an interrogation by a lost prevention officer. No proof was ever provided to the client, but nevertheless, the client signed a confession admitting she stole the money. Thereafter, the employer terminated Attorney Murphy’s client.
Attorney Murphy sat down with the client and was shocked to hear that the loss prevention officer accused the client of theft for over an hour in the back storage room of the store. During this hour long ordeal, the loss prevention officer berated Attorney Murphy’s client and made her feel like she had no rights; he made her feel like she was less than human. After what seemed like days, the client wrote a confession and signed it, thinking that doing so was the only way she could keep her job. This proved incorrect and she was fired. When Attorney Murphy heard this account, he assured his client he would do everything in his power to help her.
Thereafter, Attorney Murphy represented the client at the unemployment hearing. At the hearing Attorney Murphy established that the employer failed to present any proof that his client stole any money. Attorney Murphy then took aim at the hour long interrogation and argued the loss prevention officer essentially forced the client to sign a confession. The unemployment hearing officer agreed and concluded the employer did not prove the employee actually committed theft.
Now that Attorney Murphy has secured his client’s unemployment benefits, he is moving forward with a wrongful termination lawsuit against this large pharmaceutical retail chain.
Exposing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
In the second case, Attorney Murphy battled an employer in another unemployment hearing on behalf of his client, a former store manager of a large retail clothing store. The unemployment office denied the client’s claim for benefits because the employer said the client abandoned her job.
The client is a divorced, female and mother who needed her job to put food on the table. The last thing this woman would ever do is abandon her job. Attorney Murphy argued that the owner of the clothing store sexually harassed the client for years and that the employer is a liar. Attorney Murphy presented three former employees who testified the employer is known for gross behavior in the workplace. The employer’s lawyer aggressively attempted to discredit Attorney Murphy’s client, but Attorney Murphy counseled his client such that she maintained her composure and dignity throughout the hearing. After nearly a day of questioning, the unemployment office agreed with Attorney Murphy and concluded that the client did not abandon her job; but instead, the employer’s actions amounted to terminating her.
Now that Attorney Murphy has secured his client’s unemployment benefits, he and his client are moving forward with a wrongful termination lawsuit based on sexual harassment and illegal retaliation.
Law Office of Justin M. Murphy | Boston Employment and Housing Attorney | Greater Boston Discrimination Lawyer 