BIG mistake to get “a lawyer.” I deal with lawyers all the time and getting any lawyer even specializing in labor law is a waste of time. You may as well crack a match to the money you’ll pay him for all the good it will do you.
You first have to find the right lawyer instead of just “a lawyer.” Not doing research on the lawyer you are dealing with can turn into catastrophe. Don’t underestimate this. You may have to interview 20-30 lawyers before you find the one that fists your needs.
When you see a lawyer they all look at you to see what kind of goose they are going to carve up. They first think about how much money you have to go the distance. If they think you are some poor sap, they will soak you for a few hours of time only to tell you you are screwed. They almost all think this way. Don’t do that.
If you do contact “a lawyer” find out if they charge for the initial consultation. If they do not, go talk to them to educate yourself. If they do don’t see them.
I would go as far as taking an anonymous classified ad in the paper asking the same question you asked here and see who responds. In other words, you need to figure how to get referrals from people who are going through the same thing and who have had positive outcomes.
Getting a lawyer willy nilly is the road to disaster.
LOL! That was pretty interesting to read as a lawyer who just spent half an hour composing a post with no possibility of getting anything in return other than the satisfaction of trying to help someone in need.
I went right to the unemployment office for the info I needed.