Florida Civil Rights Lawyer

In the context of employment, federal and state civil rights laws cover a wide variety of workplace conduct. All employers need to be aware of their obligations to identify and prevent discrimination in the workplace. And employees need to understand what protections civil rights laws afford them.

If you need help, the qualified Florida civil rights lawyers at DSK Law stand ready to assist. We have the knowledge, training, and experience to deal with all types of civil rights issues. Whether you are an employer who needs help investigating a civil rights complaint or an employee seeking to file a discrimination charge, we will provide comprehensive, professional legal services.

What Civil Rights Laws Apply to the Florida Workplace?

Although employment in Florida is “at-will,” meaning an employer or employee may normally terminate their relationship without cause and at any time absent a signed contract, civil rights laws do impose several important restrictions on employers. Some of the more common work-related civil rights laws we help clients with at DSK Law include:

• Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964– This makes it illegal for any business with at least 15 employees to hire, fire, promote, or set compensation terms based on an employee’s “race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.”
• The Florida Civil Rights Act of 1992– Similar to the federal Title VII, Florida law similarly prohibits discrimination on the basis of “race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, handicap, or marital status.”
• The Americans with Disabilities Act– the ADA protects “qualified individuals with disabilities” from discrimination during the hiring, firing, promotion, or job assignment process. Aside from not actively discriminating against such individuals, covered employers must also, upon request, make a “reasonable accommodation” to help a disabled employee perform his or her job.
• The Age Discrimination in Employment Act– ADEA protects employees and job applicants who are at least 40 years old from discrimination on the basis of their age.
• The Fair Labor Standards Act– The FLSA sets basic minimum wage and overtime pay requirements for workers. The State of Florida actually imposes a higher minimum wage–$8.25 per hour in 2018–than the FLSA. But the FLSA also requires payment of time-and-a-half for hours worked in excess of 40 per pay period, unless certain exemptions apply.
• The Family and Medical Leave Act– FMLA protects the jobs of employees who require unpaid time off to deal with a qualifying medical emergency or to care for a newborn or newly adopted child.
• The Pregnancy Discrimination Act– In addition to the protections of the Florida Civil Rights Act, the PDA forbids employers from refusing to hire women because they are pregnant, so long as they can still perform the “major functions” of a given position. Nor can an employer single out pregnant women for disparate treatment in the workplace. 

Contact DSK Law Today with Your Civil Rights Questions

Civil rights laws are quite complex and require in-depth knowledge of federal, state, and local requirements. The lawyers at DSK Law have the necessary expertise to help you with your particular civil rights issue. Call us today to schedule a consultation so we can learn more about your situation.