Breach of Contract Attorney in Tampa
Employee-Only Representation for Employment Agreement Disputes
Florida is an at-will employment state, but that default doesn’t erase a contract. When an employer has made specific written or oral commitments to an employee and then walks away from them, that employer can be held legally accountable. Justice Litigation Associates PLLC represents employees in exactly these situations, and only employees. We don’t represent corporations or the businesses that break their word.
We’ve been doing this since 2016, building our practice entirely around workers harmed by employer misconduct. A broken employment agreement is one of the clearest forms of that harm.
If your employer has failed to honor the terms of an agreement, you may have limited time to act. Call our breach of contract attorneys in Tampa at (800) 219-1324 to discuss your situation.
Why Tampa Employees Bring Contract Claims to Justice Litigation Associates PLLC
Attorney Chad Justice founded this firm with a single focus: employees. Since 2016, that focus has translated into millions of dollars recovered in verdicts and judgments for thousands of workers across Hillsborough County, in disputes ranging from unpaid wages to denied benefits to violated severance terms. The firm is recognized as a Tampa Top Lawyer and included in Florida Rising Stars.
Breach of employment contract claims in Tampa are heard in the civil courts at the George E. Edgecomb Courthouse in downtown Tampa. Our attorneys appear there regularly, alongside related administrative proceedings, and we know how civil contract litigation in Hillsborough County actually works. That familiarity matters when a claim needs to move efficiently.
What Makes a Breach of Employment Contract in Florida
Under Florida law, a breach of contract claim rests on three elements: a valid contract existed, the other party materially breached it, and damages resulted. A breach is material when it strikes at the core of what was agreed. An employer refusing to pay a bonus after an employee met every condition for it is a textbook example.
Common employer breaches in the employment context include:
- Unpaid wages, commissions, and bonuses promised under an employment agreement
- Denied benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions the contract guaranteed
- Violated severance terms where the employer accepted the employee’s departure but then refused to pay what was owed
Written vs. Oral Agreements & Florida’s Filing Deadlines
Florida’s Statute of Frauds requires that an employment agreement incapable of being performed within one year be in writing to be enforceable. That said, many enforceable employment contracts are shorter-term oral agreements, and Florida courts will recognize them when the terms and the breach can be established.
Filing deadlines differ by contract type. Florida law generally allows five years to file a breach claim for a written contract, four years for an oral contract, and one year when the claim seeks specific performance rather than monetary damages. These deadlines run from the date of the breach, not the date the employee discovers it. Florida courts generally don’t apply a discovery rule to contract claims, so the clock can be running before the full picture comes into view.
Remedies & Which Hillsborough County Court Hears the Case
A proven breach of an employment contract can support several remedies. Monetary damages are the most common, covering the value of what the employer failed to provide. In narrower circumstances, a court can order specific performance, requiring the employer to fulfill the contract’s terms, or rescission, which unwinds the agreement entirely.
Which court hears the case depends on the amount in dispute. Civil claims of $50,000 or less generally proceed in Hillsborough County Court, while larger claims proceed in circuit court at the George E. Edgecomb Courthouse in downtown Tampa. Knowing where a claim belongs from the outset affects how it’s filed and how quickly it can move.
-
“If you are in need of an attorney who is willing to fight your fight all the way through, you're looking in the right spot!!” - Former Client
-
“Sam Doxie and the firm helped and we won a nice settlement.” - Former Client
-
“They are excellent at communicating and handling the case in a way that you feel like you have a team of attorneys who truly care and support you.”
Don’t Let a Filing Deadline Decide Your Case
Because Florida’s statute of limitations on contract claims runs from the breach itself, waiting to understand the full picture can cost you the right to file. The sooner a breach of contract lawyer reviews your situation, the more options may remain open. We start by gathering the documents that define and support the claim: offer letters, pay records, benefit summaries, and communications with your employer that establish what was promised and what was withheld.
Talk to a Breach of Contract Lawyer in Tampa for Free
We offer a free consultation to review your situation and assess whether your employer breached a binding agreement. There’s no fee for our legal services unless we achieve a favorable outcome for you.
Justice Litigation Associates PLLC represents employees only. When you call us, you’re talking to attorneys whose full attention is on the employee side of the table. Call (800) 219-1324 to get started.