An Atlanta-based employment law firm is working to educate employees about their rights during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Amanda Farahany, the managing partner of Barrett & Farahany, says her company frequently answers calls from worried workers.
She says callers seek legal advice and advice on their rights as workers and the laws protecting workers during the pandemic.
“With all the people who have lost their jobs and are now back to work, there are a lot of people with a lot of questions,” Farahany said.
The influx of reported calls also follows the latest report from the Georgia Department of Labor, which shows the department has processed more than 1.3 million applications since mid-March.
And at the national level, recent data shows that more than 30 million Americans in the United States applied for unemployment benefits during the pandemic.
On Tuesday’s “Closer Look,” Farahany told the show host Rose Scott that Georgia is an employment state.
“That means you can quit for any reason and you can be fired for any reason unless the reason is illegal,” Farahany said. “And Georgia has fewer illegal reasons than any other state, so let’s look at federal law to see what the illegal reasons are.”
During the conversation, Farahany also discussed some of the specific situations in which workers might refuse to return to work during the pandemic and what employers should know before allowing their workers to return so that they do not violate their workers’ rights.
She also discussed the newly enacted Family Response to First Coronavirus Act and the roles of the OSH and Equal Opportunities Commission during the pandemic.
Guest:
Amanda Farahany, managing partner of Barrett & Farahany employment law firm
To hear the full conversation, you can click on the audio player.
