California Discrimination & Harassment Lawyer
Under federal and state law, it is illegal for employers to discriminate or harass employees based on certain personal characteristics. These laws outline protected classes, which include employees of a certain race, religion, gender, pregnancy status, sexual orientation, and more. If you feel as though your employer has treated you unfairly, it is essential that you speak with a California discrimination and harassment lawyer as soon as possible.
What is Discrimination?
Discrimination in the workplace occurs any time an employee or employees are treated differently or unfairly based on their protected class. Some examples of discrimination include:
- Wrongfully terminating an employee based on their protected class
- Unfair job assignments
- Unfair hiring or promotion practices due to a protected class
- Employees of protected classes do not receive the same training or promotion opportunities
The above types of discrimination are not only against the law, but they are also cruel and can significantly compromise an employee’s ability to perform their job properly.
What is Harassment?
It is not uncommon for people to think of sexual harassment when they consider harassment in the workplace. However, harassment can take many forms. Harassment in the workplace occurs any time a hostile work environment is created and it is motivated by bias or discrimination against employees of a certain protected class.
A hostile work environment is also a form of sexual harassment but there is another one as well, and that is quid pro quo harassment. When this type of harassment occurs, an employer, manager, or supervisor offers an employee something of value, such as a promotion, in exchange for sexual or romantic favors.
Filing a Lawsuit Based on Discrimination or Harassment
Discrimination and harassment are two workplace practices that make life very difficult for an employee. It is important for any employee that feels as though they have been subjected to this type of behavior to know that they have legal options to make things right. In some cases, reinstatement of the employee’s position may be possible. However, due to the damaging nature of discrimination and harassment, this is not always possible. Instead, an employee may choose to file a lawsuit against their employer to claim damages. The damages available in employment lawsuits may include:
- Back pay: Back pay compensates employees for any wages, bonuses, and benefits they have already lost as a result of the unfair treatment.
- Front pay: Front pay is meant to compensate employees that were wrongfully terminated or did not get a promotion. Front pay is intended to support employees while they find a comparable position of employment.
- Emotional distress: Again, discrimination and harassment is incredibly damaging to employees and it is possible to file a claim for emotional distress.
In addition to the above damages, employees may be able to recover their attorney fees, and punitive damages may even be available.
Call Our Discrimination and Harassment Lawyer in California Today
If you feel as though your employer has violated your rights, our California discrimination and harassment lawyer at Litigation, P.C. can help you recover the damages you deserve. Call us today at 424-284-2401 or contact us online to schedule a consultation.