Colombia employment lawyer
Cross-border employment matters that involve both Colombia and the United States present distinct legal questions. A Colombian national working in the US under an employment contract, a US company with a workforce in Colombia, or an individual pursuing an employment claim that spans both countries needs counsel who can address the US-law dimension while coordinating with Colombia-licensed counsel on Colombia-law issues. Law Offices of SRIS, P.C., a US law firm founded in 1997, represents clients in US employment law matters — including wage-and-hour disputes, discrimination claims, contract review, and workforce compliance — and collaborates with Colombia-licensed Of Counsel on the Colombia-law side of cross-border employment matters. Reach Law Offices of SRIS, P.C. at (888) 437-7747.
What Cross-Border Employment Counsel Covers
Cross-border employment counsel addresses US federal and state employment laws as they apply to matters with a Colombia nexus, including wage-and-hour compliance, discrimination claims, employment contract negotiation, and cross-border workforce management. On the US side, the governing framework includes the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which sets federal minimum-wage and overtime requirements; Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin; the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). State laws in Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York may impose additional obligations beyond the federal baseline.
When a matter crosses into Colombia, the legal questions multiply. A Colombian national working in the United States may have rights under both US law and Colombian labor law, depending on the terms of the employment relationship and the jurisdiction where the work is performed. A US employer with operations in Colombia must navigate Colombian labor regulations — including Colombia’s Substantive Labor Code (Código Sustantivo del Trabajo) — alongside US compliance obligations. The firm’s US-admitted attorneys handle the US-law component; for Colombia-law questions, the firm collaborates with its Colombia-licensed Of Counsel.
How Mr. Sris and His Of Counsel Network Handle Employment Matters
Mr. Sris, the firm’s Owner and Founder, is admitted to practice law in Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, New Jersey, and New York. He and the firm’s US-admitted attorneys serve as counsel on the US-law aspects of cross-border employment matters — including FLSA compliance, discrimination claims before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), employment contract disputes, and workforce classification issues. The firm’s approach is to address the US-law dimension directly while coordinating with Colombia-licensed counsel on any Colombia-law questions that arise in the same matter.
For the Colombia-law side of cross-border employment matters, the firm works with Eric Duport Jaramillo, Of Counsel for Colombia matters, who is admitted to practice law in Colombia and is not admitted in any US state bar. His role is limited to Colombia-law matters in collaboration with the firm’s US-admitted attorneys. This division of responsibility ensures that each jurisdiction’s law is handled by counsel admitted in that jurisdiction. The firm’s location in Pereira, Colombia, by appointment only, supports coordination with clients and institutions in Colombia, while all US-law representation is handled from the firm’s US locations.
About Mr. Sris and the firm’s Of Counsel Network
Mr. Sris, Owner and Founder of Law Offices of SRIS, P.C., is a former prosecutor who founded the firm in 1997. He is admitted to practice in Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, New Jersey, and New York. Over more than twenty-five years of practice, Mr. Sris has represented clients in a broad range of civil and employment matters, including wage claims, contract disputes, and discrimination cases. He serves as the responsible US attorney for the firm’s cross-border practice and supervises the coordination between the firm’s US-admitted attorneys and its foreign-licensed Of Counsel.
The firm’s Of Counsel network includes attorneys admitted in Colombia who collaborate with the firm on Colombia-law matters. Eric Duport Jaramillo, Of Counsel for Colombia matters, is admitted to practice law in Colombia and is not admitted in any US state bar; his practice with the firm is limited to Colombia-law matters and to serving as a liaison for international clients with the firm’s US-admitted attorneys. Mr. Sris and his Of Counsel bring extensive combined legal experience across US and Colombian legal frameworks. The firm maintains a location in Pereira, Colombia, by appointment only, and US locations in Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a Colombia employment lawyer handle?
A Colombia employment lawyer handles legal matters at the intersection of Colombian and US employment law, including contract disputes, wage claims, discrimination cases, and workforce compliance issues that involve both jurisdictions. On the US side, this includes claims under the FLSA, Title VII, the ADA, and applicable state laws. On the Colombia side, it involves the Código Sustantivo del Trabajo and related Colombian labor regulations. Because no single attorney is admitted in both countries, effective cross-border employment representation requires coordination between US-admitted counsel and Colombia-licensed counsel, each handling the law of their respective jurisdiction.
Do I need both a US employment lawyer and a Colombian employment lawyer?
If your employment matter involves both US law and Colombian law, you generally need counsel admitted in each jurisdiction, because an attorney admitted only in the United States cannot practice Colombian law, and an attorney admitted only in Colombia cannot practice US law. Law Offices of SRIS, P.C. addresses this by having its US-admitted attorneys handle the US-law component while collaborating with Colombia-licensed Of Counsel on the Colombia-law side. This structure allows the firm to provide coordinated cross-border guidance without any attorney practicing law in a jurisdiction where they are not admitted.
How does US employment law apply to Colombian nationals working in the United States?
US federal employment laws — including the FLSA, Title VII, the ADA, and the FMLA — generally apply to all employees working in the United States regardless of their nationality or immigration status. A Colombian national employed in the US is entitled to minimum wage and overtime protections under the FLSA, a workplace free of unlawful discrimination under Title VII, and reasonable accommodations under the ADA where applicable. State laws in the jurisdiction where the employee works may provide additional protections. Immigration status does not eliminate these statutory rights, though it may affect the remedies available in certain circumstances. An attorney can assess how these protections apply to a specific employment situation.
What should I bring to a consultation about a cross-border employment matter?
For a consultation about a cross-border employment matter, bring your employment contract, any correspondence with your employer about the dispute, pay records, and documentation of your immigration or work-authorization status if relevant. If the matter involves both US and Colombian elements, also bring any Colombia-issued employment documents, Colombian social-security or pension records, and correspondence with Colombian labor authorities. Having these materials available allows the firm’s US-admitted attorneys and Colombia-licensed Of Counsel to assess which jurisdiction’s law governs each aspect of the matter and to provide informed guidance on next steps.
Can the firm review a Colombia employment contract for a US company?
The firm’s Colombia-licensed Of Counsel can review a Colombia employment contract for compliance with Colombian labor law, while the firm’s US-admitted attorneys can advise on any US-law implications the contract may have for the US company. A US company hiring employees in Colombia must comply with Colombian labor regulations — including mandatory benefits, termination indemnities, and social-security contributions under the Código Sustantivo del Trabajo — and may also have US-law obligations depending on the structure of the employment relationship. The firm coordinates review across both jurisdictions, with each side of the analysis handled by counsel admitted in the relevant country.
How do I reach the firm about a cross-border employment matter?
To discuss a cross-border employment matter involving Colombia and the United States, contact Law Offices of SRIS, P.C. at (888) 437-7747. Consultations are by appointment only. The firm’s US-admitted attorneys can address the US-law aspects of your employment matter, and the firm’s Colombia-licensed Of Counsel can address Colombia-law questions in coordination with Mr. Sris. The firm maintains a location in Pereira, Colombia, by appointment only, and US locations in Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York.