Check out our Sept/Oct newsletter!
September/October 2022
THE HARMAN HEADLINE
HARMAN LAW
Personal Injury, Workers’ Compensation, and Employment Lawyers
MY TEAM FOUGHT RACISM — AND WON!
CLIENTS FACED WORKPLACE DISCRIMINATION
This summer, I got an email from a client that made my day. He wrote, “I just want to say thank you for everything you did and for being very open and explaining things in full detail during our situation.” Before this man and his friend hired our firm to help with their race discrimination claim, they had a different lawyer. He wrote that they felt “lost in the dark” with that representation. Then we came in, and it was “a night and day difference.” Emails like those make me so proud! One of my biggest goals is to make sure our clients feel like they have all of the information about their case, understand the options available to them, and feel comfortable with the decisions they make. As cheesy as it sounds, hearing that praise from a client was a dream come true — especially in a case as complicated as this one. It dealt with the tricky topic of racism in the workplace and ended with a $300,000 settlement. Getting that settlement wasn’t easy. The case focused on two different clients, both Black men who worked at the same company. They each noticed signs of systemic racism at play that ended up hurting their careers. “They settled the two cases for $300,000, about $150,000 each for Jim and Stan! That’s about three times the average employment settlement.”
One of the men (I’ll call him “Jim”) was repeatedly passed over for promotions in favor of white colleagues with less experience. The company even hired white men and asked Jim to train them to be his supervisors. Jim lodged complaints with management, but in January 2019, he was passed over again and decided to resign. Our other client (I’ll call him “Stan”) was fired for behaving the same way he had seen his white coworkers behave without termination. Jim and Stan took their complaints to the next level. They filed a charge of discrimination against their former employer with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and hired a lawyer to represent them. As far as I know, this lawyer did a great job — he got their case through the commission, and the investigation went really well! Jim and Stan’s employer even offered a settlement of $70,000, with rumors of another $70,000 on the horizon. But there were two problems. 1. Jim and Stan didn’t feel the settlement amount was enough to compensate for the discrimination they faced — so they had to file a lawsuit. 2. They weren’t happy with the level of communication they were getting from their lawyer. They didn’t understand his strategy, what was happening with their case, their next steps, or their options moving forward. So, what did they do? They hired my team! We filed the lawsuit last year and immediately started litigation. I knew it would be important to look for other signs of racism at the company,
so my team started putting pressure on them to release their documents. They tried to object, but we didn’t give up! After eight months of back and forth, Stan and Jim’s company decided it would be easier to settle the claim than to turn over all their documents and try to fight. We settled the two cases for $300,000, about $150,000 each for Jim and Stan! That’s about three times the average employment settlement. The result made all three of us feel good. Like their email said, Jim and Stan were happy with the checks they took home, but they were even happier with the way we handled their case. We kept them in the loop and went to bat for them at every turn. That’s something we do for every client, whether they have an employment law problem, need help with estate planning, or are dealing with the aftermath of a car crash. If you know someone who is in that boat and needs legal representation they can trust, send them our way. We’ll give them all of the facts and we won’t give up.
–Michael Harman
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Unwavering Client Experience. Outstanding Results. – Call Us Today 704-237-6613
Ready, Set, Scavenge! Explore What Autumn Offers
4. Changes among people’s apparel (such as jackets, hats, and scarves) 5. Animals hibernating or migrating FALL COLOR WHEEL The best way to explore autumn’s colors is by creating a fall color wheel hunt! Since the leaves are the surest signs of fall, kids can compare and contrast the different colors of each leaf they find, making this a fun hands-on activity. You can either download a color wheel template from the internet or make one yourself! All you need is a piece of paper that’s big enough for kids to tape the leaves onto and different areas for the colors red, yellow, orange, and brown. This will help kids see the different kinds of leaves as well as their visual changes during the season. The weather is getting colder, but it doesn’t mean you have to hibernate too! Bundle up with a cozy sweater and beanie, and encourage the family to get outside to explore all of the wonderful changes autumn has to offer.
As the leaves begin to fall and the air becomes cooler, it is a sure sign that summer is slowly coming to an end. Though we will miss the pool parties and backyard barbecues, there is still lots to look forward to during fall. Autumn is known as the season of change, and getting the kids outside allows them to understand and explore the changes going on in the world around them. Creating a fall scavenger hunt is a great way for kids to practice their reading and observation skills, all while still enjoying the outdoors. SIGNS OF FALL Creating a specific scavenger hunt for signs of autumn is a great way to enhance your child’s observation skills.
Consider the following for your signs of fall hunt:
1. Leaves that have changed colors 2. Tree seeds or pine cones that have fallen to the ground 3. Items from a fall harvest (like pumpkins, sunflowers, or hay bales)
I’m Rooting for the Hawkeyes, andYouToo!
A QUICK NOTE ABOUT FOOTBALL SEASON
Fall is one of my favorite times of the year for one reason: football season! In our house, we cheer on the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Virginia Tech Hokies. Jen and I spend more time in front of the TV on Saturdays watching football than I care to admit, and the kids get in on it, too. The triplets are too young to truly understand how football works, but they’ll still sit down and watch with me. If we let him, Miles would wear his favorite Iowa Hawkeyes baseball cap every single day. He loves that cap! At 4 1/2 years old, every sport is “the Hawks” to him, whether we’re watching football, baseball, or basketball, and every player is his favorite Hawkeyes basketball player, Luka Garza.
That said, football season isn’t the only thing I’m celebrating this fall. Labor Day is also coming up as I write this, and I’ve never
been more excited about my team at
Harman Law. 2020 was a tough year for us from a staffing perspective. We lost a few key people and had a hard
Of course, he doesn’t care that Garza plays for the Detroit Pistons now. He still associates Garza with the Hawks, and the Hawks with his hat!
time finding the perfect hires to fill those spots. But our patience and persistence paid off, and now we have the best team we’ve ever had!
I’m glad I can share my love of football with the trips, even though they aren’t quite up to speed. They’ve even traveled to games with us. I’m not sure if we’ll be able to catch a Hawkeyes game in person this year, but if they make it to another bowl game in Florida, we just might be able to make it happen. As for the Hokies, we’ll definitely try to fit a night game into our schedule, and the Virginia Tech versus West Virginia game is at the top of my list.
If you’re one of our clients, thank you for supporting us with your business. There has never been a stronger team fighting for you and the folks you send to us for help with their employment law, workers’ compensation, and car crash cases.
Go Hawkeyes and Hokies!
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Unwavering Client Experience. Outstanding Results. – HarmanLawNC.com
WAS YOUR FRIEND FIRED UNFAIRLY? THEY MIGHT HAVE A WRONGFUL TERMINATION CASE Here in North Carolina, we have complicated laws around hiring and firing. That can make it tough to figure out whether a friend or family member was let go legally or “wrongfully terminated.” The difference is important, because someone wrongfully terminated can hire a lawyer and go after their employer for lost wages. WHAT IS WRONGFUL TERMINATION? Someone is wrongfully terminated if they’re fired for an illegal reason, for example in a way that breaks federal law or the legalities of their contract. This can be tough to prove in the best of circumstances, but it’s even harder in North Carolina because we are an “at-will” employment state. WHAT DOES ‘AT-WILL’ EMPLOYMENT MEAN? Basically, there is a rule in our state that employers can fire their employees for pretty much any reason — or even no reason at all. Employers don’t have to be fair. They can pick almost any reason they want and fire anyone without warning. As you might imagine, this makes proving wrongful termination really tough, but it isn’t impossible. WHAT ARE A FEW EXAMPLES OF WRONGFUL TERMINATION? Federal laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act still trump state law. So your friend, family member, or coworker may have a wrongful termination case if they were fired ...
SUDOKU
Solution on Page 4
GOULASH, HUNGARY’S NATIONAL DISH
Try re-creating Hungary’s national dish — goulash!
INGREDIENTS •
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1 yellow onion, chopped 2 cloves of garlic, minced
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1 tsp Italian seasoning
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1 tsp paprika
1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese Fresh chopped parsley, for garnish
1lb ground beef
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Even though it was prohibited by their contract
Salt and pepper, to taste 1 tbsp tomato paste 1 1/4 cups beef broth 1 15-oz can tomato sauce 1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
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In a way that violated their contract
Based on their religion, sex, or age, or another form of discrimination Because they refused to violate the law at their employer’s request Even though they were participating in a legally protected activity In retaliation for filing a lawsuit, acting as a whistleblower, or reporting any illegal activities If you know someone who thinks they might have a wrongful termination case, send them to our team for help and/or give them this newsletter. Our employment lawyers can figure out whether they have a claim and, if they do, help them get the justice and payment they deserve.
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•
DIRECTIONS 1.
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In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and wait for it to heat. 2. Once heated, add onion and cook for 5 minutes, then add garlic and cook for 1 minute. 3. Next, add the ground beef to the skillet, and cook until no longer pink. Drain the grease, then add salt and pepper. 4. Stir in the tomato paste, beef broth, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes. Season with Italian seasoning and paprika. Add macaroni to the skillet. 5. Bring mixture to a simmer and let it cook for 15 minutes. Stir the pasta occasionally. 6. Mix in the cheddar cheese and remove from heat.
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Unwavering Client Experience. Outstanding Results. – Call Us Today 704-237-6613
16507 Northcross Drive, Suite B Huntersville, NC, 28078 Offices in Lake Norman, Charlotte, and Hickory 704-237-6613 HarmanLawNC.com
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Inside This Issue
How We Secured 2 Clients $300,000 Page 1 DIY Fall Scavenger Hunt for the Family Michael Talks Football Page 2 Goulash, Hungary’s National Dish How to Spot Wrongful Termination Page 3 The Insane Story of the 1904 Olympic Marathon Page 4
Sudoku Solution
IT’S UNBELIEVABLY TRUE! The Craziest Olympic Marathon of 1904
In 1904, the year of America’s first Olympics, the men’s marathon was a bizarre spectacle to behold. In fact, it was likely the most jaw-dropping event ever in the history of the Olympic Games. On that hot, sweltering summer day in St. Louis, MO, only
runners to inhale, and they only had two water stations available before the halfway mark — and none in the second half! Even seasoned runners were not up to this crazy course! Three hours and 13 minutes after the marathon began, Fred Lorz, who had ridden a third of the course in a car, crossed the finish line. He was about to be adorned with a floral wreath when he confessed he had gotten so tired that he accepted a ride from one of the cars along the way, so he was disqualified. Thomas Hicks, the true winner, was struggling with just 7 more miles to go. His fans on the sidelines provided him with a secret energy booster mix — a concoction containing strychnine (rat poison), brandy, and egg whites. By the time he crossed the finish line, he was hallucinating. And the fourth-place winner from Cuba wore dress pants and shoes for the entire race (because he lost his money gambling in New Orleans on his way to St. Louis and arrived after hitchhiking with nothing but the clothes on his back!).
14 of the 32 Olympic competitors crossed the finish line on what was deemed the most difficult course anyone was ever asked to undertake. Thomas Hicks, the American who actually came in first, received the slowest time of all of the Olympic marathons since 1896. But why was this one so tough? With temperatures of roughly 104 degrees F and 90% humidity, a rigorous 24.85-mile course with seven hills was a bit much for competitors. Not to mention, support cars were churning up dust, leaving it behind for the
This 1904 Olympic marathon went down in history as the most bizarre and wildly entertaining race. Luckily, but surprisingly, nobody died!
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Unwavering Client Experience. Outstanding Results. – HarmanLawNC.com
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