Employment Lawyer in New York City Wins Unpaid Wages Case

The client had been employed on a full time basis for approximately one year under a written employment agreement and internal workplace policies that clearly governed wages, paid leave, and termination procedures.

During a routine weekly meeting, a senior manager summarily terminated the client through an oral statement, citing vague allegations of poor attitude without any prior warning, disciplinary record, or performance review. 

The termination was executed without advance notice and without payment of final wages, accrued unused vacation days, or any form of termination compensation.

Unpaid wage claims in New York often arise after termination and require careful distinction between administrative remedies and judicial enforcement.

In this matter, the employment lawyer in New York City structured the case to focus on recoverable wage components while leveraging prior determinations to strengthen liability.

The legal strategy centered on three distinct but interconnected claims: unpaid earned wages for work already performed, compensation for accrued but unused vacation time treated as earned wages under company policy, and termination related compensation triggered by the employer’s failure to provide advance notice. 

The employment lawyer emphasized that wage obligations survive termination regardless of whether the employer disputes the termination itself and that an employer’s refusal to pay earned compensation constitutes an independent violation.

By documenting payroll records, employment agreements, internal policies, and prior administrative findings, the legal team established that the employer’s liability was clear, calculable, and enforceable through civil litigation rather than discretionary negotiation.

The employment lawyer demonstrated that the client had not used any vacation time during the entire period of employment due to workload demands and that the employer’s written policies required payout of unused vacation upon separation. 

Payroll records confirmed that two months of salary remained unpaid at the time of termination, despite the client having continued to perform duties in good faith until the day of dismissal.

The attorney further argued that delayed payment triggered statutory interest and additional monetary liability, emphasizing that wage withholding after termination is treated more severely than ordinary contractual disputes under New York practice.

In addition to unpaid wages, the employment lawyer asserted a claim based on the employer’s failure to provide advance notice prior to termination. 

The argument highlighted that termination notice obligations apply independently of whether the termination is ultimately deemed lawful or unlawful and that oral, same day termination without compensation violates minimum procedural protections afforded to employees.

By framing the notice violation as a standalone compensable event, the legal team expanded the scope of recoverable damages and increased settlement pressure.