The Law Office of Zachary A. Westenhoefer

The Law Office of Zachary A. Westenhoefer Employment Law | Judgment Enforcement The Law Office of Zachary A. I handle cases personally from start to finish.

Westenhoefer is a small New York law practice focused on employment law and judgment enforcement. I represent employees and former employees in wage and hour disputes, retaliation claims, and related workplace matters, as well as individuals and businesses seeking to enforce court judgments that have gone unpaid. That means clients deal directly with me, not layers of staff, and they get clear exp

lanations about what the law allows, what it does not, and what to expect as a case moves forward. I try to be candid about risks, costs, and timelines, and I do not push litigation where it does not make practical sense. Much of my work involves situations where delay, inattention, or poor communication can cause real harm, whether it is unpaid wages or a judgment that sits unenforced. My goal is steady, competent representation and realistic outcomes, not volume-driven practice or scripted advice.

If you are owed money under a court judgment and the business that owes it has no assets, that does not automatically me...
08/18/2026

If you are owed money under a court judgment and the business that owes it has no assets, that does not automatically mean you are out of options. New York law sometimes allows creditors to go after the owner personally, not because the company failed, but because of how the owner operated it.

I wrote a post this week explaining when this is possible, what courts look for, and why the timing matters more than most people realize. If you or someone you know is dealing with an unpaid judgment, this is worth a read.

New York creditors can sometimes collect from a business owner personally through veil piercing. Learn the alter-ego test, what evidence courts require, and the deadlines that govern your options.

If you or someone you know works in a restaurant, a fast food chain, or as a home care aide in New York City or Nassau C...
08/06/2026

If you or someone you know works in a restaurant, a fast food chain, or as a home care aide in New York City or Nassau County, the minimum wage that applies to that job in 2026 may not be what you think. Different industries have different rules, and some workers are legally entitled to more than the standard $17-per-hour rate most people have heard about.

I put together a plain-language guide to who earns what under New York law this year, how the tip credit rules work (and when they do not apply), and what a worker can do if their employer has been paying less than required. If you know anyone in these fields, it might be worth sharing.

Learn the 2026 minimum wage rates for tipped workers, fast food employees, and home care aides in NYC and Nassau County, and what to do if your employer is paying less than the law requires.

If you or someone you know is over 40 and was recently handed a severance agreement, there are federal and New York Stat...
07/28/2026

If you or someone you know is over 40 and was recently handed a severance agreement, there are federal and New York State laws that give you specific rights before you sign, including at least 21 days to review the agreement and 7 days to change your mind after signing. A lot of employees do not know these protections exist, and some sign within a day or two without realizing what they may be giving up.

I put together a guide explaining what the law actually requires before a waiver of age discrimination claims is valid, what additional rules apply when a layoff involves multiple employees, and how a potential age discrimination claim can affect your position when negotiating a severance package.

Employees over 40 in New York have specific legal rights before signing any severance agreement. Learn the 21-day window, 7-day revocation right, and how age discrimination affects severance leverage.

A lot of people who take medical leave, family leave, or leave to care for a sick relative come back to find that someth...
07/23/2026

A lot of people who take medical leave, family leave, or leave to care for a sick relative come back to find that something has quietly changed at work. Sometimes the job title is the same but the meaningful work is gone. Sometimes there is a new performance plan that did not exist before they left. And sometimes, they are just told there is no position for them anymore.

Under federal FMLA and New York's Paid Family Leave law, your employer is generally required to give you your job back, or one that is truly equivalent. I put together a guide that explains who these protections cover, what they actually require from your employer, and what your options are if your rights were not respected. If you or someone you know has gone through this, it may be worth a read.

Does your NY employer have to hold your job during FMLA leave? Learn who qualifies, what job restoration requires, and what counts as retaliation.

Take a look at your last paystub. Does it show your hourly rate, your overtime rate, and exactly how many regular and ov...
07/14/2026

Take a look at your last paystub. Does it show your hourly rate, your overtime rate, and exactly how many regular and overtime hours you worked? In New York, it has to. And when you were hired, your employer was supposed to give you a written notice of your pay rate and get your signature on it.

I wrote this week about what New York paystubs are legally required to show, the mistakes employers make constantly, and the money damages the law provides when they get it wrong. If you or someone you know gets paid in cash with no paystub at all, this one is especially worth reading.

What a New York paystub must show, common wage statement and wage notice defects, and the statutory damages under Labor Law 195 and 198. NYC and Nassau County.

Has your former employer sent you a bill for training costs after you left your job? Before you pay anything, it is wort...
07/08/2026

Has your former employer sent you a bill for training costs after you left your job? Before you pay anything, it is worth knowing that New York recently passed a law called the Trapped at Work Act that significantly limits an employer's ability to demand this kind of repayment. The law is not fully in effect yet, but many of these agreements may already be on shaky legal ground — and even under current law, there are defenses worth exploring before you respond to a demand letter.

I put together a practical guide for anyone in New York City or Nassau County who has received one of these demands:

Received a training cost repayment demand from your former employer in New York? Learn your rights under the Trapped at Work Act and what steps to take next.

If a bank account suddenly freezes after legal papers arrive, most people blame the subpoena. The subpoena is innocent. ...
07/02/2026

If a bank account suddenly freezes after legal papers arrive, most people blame the subpoena. The subpoena is innocent. In New York, the freeze comes from a different document entirely, a restraining notice, which is usually served in the same envelope.
I wrote about how to tell the enforcement tools apart, and which one actually reaches the money.

A subpoena does not freeze a New York bank account, but a CPLR 5222 restraining notice served with it does. A judgment enforcement lawyer explains the difference.

Being fired does not necessarily mean the employer's severance offer is final.A severance agreement is a proposed contra...
06/24/2026

Being fired does not necessarily mean the employer's severance offer is final.

A severance agreement is a proposed contract, usually offering compensation in exchange for a broad release and other continuing obligations. The amount, payment terms, confidentiality provisions, reference language, cooperation requirements, and restrictive covenants may all deserve closer examination.

This article explains when an employee may have negotiating leverage, which payments may already be legally owed, and what New York employees should review before signing.

Can you negotiate severance after being fired? Learn when to push back, what terms may be negotiable, and which legal rights may affect your leverage.

New York's whistleblower law is broader than many employees realize. Workers may be protected when they report, object t...
06/18/2026

New York's whistleblower law is broader than many employees realize. Workers may be protected when they report, object to, or refuse to participate in conduct they reasonably believe is unlawful or dangerous. But the details matter, including what was reported, who knew about it, what happened afterward, and whether the employee preserved the right evidence.

I wrote this guide to explain the basics of New York whistleblower protections, including who is covered, what counts as protected activity, what counts as retaliation, and what employees should do if they believe they were punished for speaking up.

New York law protects employees who report, object to, or refuse to participate in unlawful or dangerous workplace conduct. Learn who is covered, what counts as retaliation, and what steps employees should take.

Your employer says you owe thousands of dollars because you left your job. Can the employer keep your final paycheck, ch...
06/11/2026

Your employer says you owe thousands of dollars because you left your job. Can the employer keep your final paycheck, charge you for training, or threaten collections?

New York has enacted the Trapped at Work Act, which will restrict many "stay-or-pay" agreements beginning December 19, 2026. But employees may already have rights under existing wage-payment, minimum-wage, overtime, and retaliation laws.

A repayment demand should not be examined in isolation. It may be the first visible sign of a broader wage-and-hour problem.

Read more:

New York's Trapped at Work Act will restrict many training repayment agreements. Learn your rights if an employer withholds pay or demands money after you leave.

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