Christopher Charles Sharp
Sharp Law Firm, P.A.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Education Temple University Beasley School of Law
- Experience 28 years of experience year
Similar Lawyer In the Area
Offers
Free Consultation
+1 (954) 909-4246
Practice Areas
Employment Law
Civil Rights
Gov & Administrative Law
Employment Law
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
-
FloridaThe Florida Bar
Spoken Languages
-
English
Biography
I am Board Certified by the Florida Bar in Labor & Employment Law and have more than 27 years of experience protecting the rights of employees in the workplace and helping them recover their wages when they are not paid by their employers. During my career I have settled or successfully tried hundreds of cases on behalf of employees in Florida's state and federal courts. In addition to discrimination and unpaid wage/overtime claims, my firm also specializes in representation of local, state and federal government employees on disciplinary matters, EEO/retaliation claims and disability issues arising under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Initial consultations are free for most types of cases and contingency representation will be considered where appropriate and depending on the type of case. My firm can handle cases anywhere in Florida (or nationwide for federal employee EEOC or MSPB administrative hearings) but most of my clients are from Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties. Feel free to contact me if you have questions about a workplace rights issue or if you have threatened with, or been a victim of, unfair or unlawful treatment by your employer.
Professional Experience
-
ShareholderSharp Law Firm, P.A.2007 - Current
Professional Associations
-
The Florida Bar # 0996858MemberCurrent
Education
-
Temple University Beasley School of LawJ.D. (1993)1990 - 1993
Certifications
-
Labor and Employment LawThe Florida Bar2001
Legal Answers
-
Q. Can my criminal background stop me from getting a job at Dollar General as a cashierA: Although you were applying for a private sector job, Florida law prohibits state and local agencies from denying a person a license, permit, or certificate to engage in a particular profession or industry based on a prior conviction, unless the conviction was for a crime that was felony or first-degree misdemeanor and the offense is directly related to the type of work the person will do if hired for the position. The law also creates special rules for certain drug offenses. In the private sector, however, Florida law actually gives an incentive and broad discretion to consider an applicant's criminal record. Like most states, Florida allows people who are injured or harmed by an employee's misconduct to sue the employer for what is called "negligent hiring." This is a claim that the employer should have known that the employee posed a risk of injury. In Florida, employers can avoid being dues for negligent hiring if they conduct a background investigation before hiring employees, including a criminal records check. If the employer conducts a background check with a job applicant's consent, it is usually protected from future lawsuits if the the check didn't uncover any red flags or information reasonably demonstrating that the employee was unfit for the job or employment in general). Employers aren't required to conduct background checks in Florida, but they are only legally protected from negligent hiring lawsuits is they conduct a criminal records check on all potential employees. Unless the employer is using the background checks to selectively exclude certain classes of people from employment -- which could amount to unlawful discrimination depending on the facts and circumstances -- the routine use of background checks does not generally give rise to any legal claims for failure-to-hire under Florida or federal law.August 6, 2021
Fees
-
Free Consultation
-
Credit Cards Accepted
-
Contingent Fees
