Employment lawyer in Maryland?
September 26, 2019 9:15 AM Subscribe
Help me find an employment lawyer in Maryland. I was an employer this year (hired a nanny), and I have a question about my legal obligations as an employer, and the possible ramifications thereof.
I have never been an employer or consulted a lawyer before, so I'm not sure how this works, and it's a bit intimidating. Can I just get an hour (or probably way less) of someone's time? How can I find someone who'll give me a straight answer and not try to sell me unneeded services?
Depending on your questions, you can also start with your accountant -- like, if you're wondering your obligations re: the legit way to pay someone, report that you've paid them, make the legal contributions to their social security etc. (the kind of thing that most people who pay under the table don't do).
posted by BlahLaLa at 11:32 AM on September 26, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by BlahLaLa at 11:32 AM on September 26, 2019 [1 favorite]
An overview about how to find a lawyer is available at the MeFi Wiki Get a Lawyer page, and it includes a discussion about how yes, you can hire a lawyer for a consultation to help get oriented to your rights and responsibilities as an employer. Unlike government agencies, attorneys can provide you with confidentiality, as well as legal advice tailored to your specific situation that you can rely on, because it is backed up both by the attorney's license to practice law and their malpractice insurance. In addition, if issues arise in the future, you have an established relationship with an attorney that you can quickly contact for assistance. It is possible that an attorney may suggest that you put an employment contract in writing to protect your interests, but they can explain why that may be a helpful service and will likely have templates that can help keep costs reasonable.
posted by katra at 11:54 AM on September 26, 2019
posted by katra at 11:54 AM on September 26, 2019
What's your specific question? I'm not a lawyer, but I employed a nanny the last few years, run my own small nonprofit with employees, and work on state employment policy. All in Maryland.
posted by postel's law at 1:37 PM on September 26, 2019
posted by postel's law at 1:37 PM on September 26, 2019
If, after the (excellent!) advice above, you still want a lawyer, I had a surprisingly good experience with the employment lawyer at Lippman, Semsker & Salb in Bethesda, MD. It was about 4 years ago though.
posted by Dotty at 6:16 PM on September 26, 2019
posted by Dotty at 6:16 PM on September 26, 2019
Response by poster: Thanks, everyone! Postel's law, I'll send you a MeMail. Dotty, I'll look into the firm you mention.
posted by toomuchkatherine at 7:13 AM on September 27, 2019
posted by toomuchkatherine at 7:13 AM on September 27, 2019
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by theora55 at 10:12 AM on September 26, 2019