Employment Law
Workplace discrimination is unfavorable treatment of an employee or applicant because of a protected characteristic. Federal law, primarily Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 along with the Age Discrimination in Employment Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), national origin, age (40 and over), and disability. Discrimination can take the form of biased hiring, firing, pay, promotions, or a hostile work environment through harassment. Many states and cities add further protected categories and stronger remedies. A lawyer can assess whether the conduct is legally actionable, help document a pattern of treatment, and guide you through the required administrative process, since most claims must first be filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or a state fair-employment agency within strict deadlines before a lawsuit is possible. Remedies may include back pay, reinstatement, policy changes, and damages. First steps: keep detailed records of incidents with dates and witnesses, report the conduct through your employer's internal channels where safe to do so, preserve emails and messages, avoid retaliation traps, and consult an employment lawyer promptly to meet EEOC filing deadlines, which vary by state.
