You may have never guessed that your profession would seriously influence how your divorce case goes, but this may be true if you are a government or union employee. In short, this is mainly because you are likely subject to unique compensation structures that you would like to protect from your soon-to-be former spouse. This makes careful planning and experienced legal counsel all the more critical. Follow along to find out how one of our proficient Long Island divorce lawyers at Barrows Levy, PLLC, can fiercely fight to protect your rights and secure your financial interests through every step of your divorce process.
Why Divorce Is Different for Government & Union Employees
To reiterate, as a New York government or union employee, you likely have unique assets and job protections that require special legal handling during discussions of property division, alimony, child support, and overall long-term financial planning post-divorce. Specifically, your divorce case may involve these distinguished considerations:
- Pension and Retirement Benefits: these benefits may qualify as marital property and become subject to equitable distribution law, but calculating their present and future value may create complications.
- Special Pay Components: factors like overtime, shift differential, hazard or special duty pay, longevity and incentive increases, and deferred compensation plans may be considered additional income resources.
- Union Contracts and Job Protections: these may offer seniority and layoff protections that affect job security and future earning capacity, health and welfare benefits that include family coverage options and continuation rights, accrued leave time that may hold monetary and retirement value, etc.
When working with government and union employees, our lawyers typically employ financial experts, actuaries, retirement specialists, and labor experts to ensure your rights are protected and your opportunities to maintain your hard-earned assets are maximized.
The Government and Union Employees We Work With
At Barrows Levy, PLLC, we understand how particularly complex it can be for government and union employees to get a divorce with a fair and positive outcome. This is because we routinely represent the following types of workers:
- Law Enforcement and Public Safety Professionals: including NYPD officers, Nassau County, Suffolk County, and Long Island law enforcement, Department of Corrections officers, court officers, the Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York, and NYFP firefighters.
- Teachers and Education Professionals: including Long Island teachers, Department of Education employees, school professionals represented under municipal unions, the United Federation of Teachers, and the Professional Staff Congress.
- Municipal and Civil Service Employees: including marine workers Local 3005), data processing employees (Local 2906).
- Skilled Trades and Construction Union Workers: including teamsters (Local 282), NYC District Council of Carpenters (Locals 20, 45, 157, 212, 740, 926, 1556, 2287, and 2790), International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (Local 3), operating engineers (Locals 14-14B, 15, 15A-15D, and 30), Mason Tenders District Council and Laborers (Local 731), cement masons (Local 780), cement and concrete (Locals 6A, 18A, and 20), metallic lathers (Local 46), ornamental ironworkers (Local 580), and bricklayers (Local 1).
- Healthcare, Transit, and Public Service Workers: including the New York State Nurses Association, Committee of Interns & Residents, and Transport Workers Union (Local 100).
- Media & Entertainment Union Members: including the Actors’ Equity Association and Writers Guild of America East.
Get the Proper Representation for Your Divorce Today
If you identify as any one of the government or union employees mentioned above, you cannot settle for any ordinary legal representation for your upcoming divorce case. Rather, please retain the services of a talented lawyer who has experience representing clients throughout Nassau County, Suffolk County, and the surrounding Long Island region in your same profession. Whether you are most worried about complex income issues or maintenance disputes, we will understand and implement the best course of action throughout. Contact Barrows Levy, PLLC for your initial consultation to protect your rights and interests as soon as possible.
