Orlando Discrimination Lawyer

Throughout the United States, workplace discrimination is illegal. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, our nation’s primary anti-workplace discrimination law, states that it is illegal to discriminate against employees based on the following protected classes:

• Race;
• Sex;
• Religion;
• National origin;
• Disability status;
• Age if over 40 years old;
• Pregnancy; and
• Genetic information.

Many cities and states around the nation, including Orlando, go further and include additional protected classes like sexual orientation and gender identity. Contact our experienced Orlando discrimination lawyers for more information or assistance.

Examples of Workplace Discrimination

Workplace discrimination comes in a variety of forms. Some are more overt than others, but all can have disastrous effects on a victim’s career. Types of workplace discrimination include:

• Any persistent, annoying, abusive, or profane verbal or physical contact made without the victim’s consent is harassment;
• Wrongful termination. Employers can terminate employees for any reason – except for illegal reasons like their race, sex, religion, or national origin;
• Refusing to hire or promote a qualified individual because of his or her status in one of the classes listed above;
• Segregating employees into different departments, branches, or positions based on one of the classes above;
• Maintaining separate job duty expectations for employees or groups of employees based on one of the classes above; and
• Denying an employee certain rights or benefits other employees receive. 

What to Do if you Face Workplace Discrimination

Document everything. Save copies of emails and meeting notes, write down the date, time, and context of face-to-face acts of discrimination, and document the effects of the discriminatory acts you experience. Everything you document can be used to support your claim.

Bring your documentation to your company’s Human Resources department to discuss it and see if you can put a stop to the issues you are facing there. Often, companies are able to stop discrimination internally. When your company cannot, work with an experienced employment lawyer to file a discrimination claim or lawsuit. Your lawyer will advise you about which is the better course of action for your case and after filing your claim, how to proceed with it. Through your claim, you can pursue monetary compensation for your lost wages and any other damages you suffered as a result of the discrimination, like your medical bills from losing your employment benefits and the quantified cost of the emotional stress you suffered.

In Florida, workplace discrimination cases are handled by the Florida Commission on Human Relations. Federally, they are handled by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

Work with an Experienced Orlando Employment Lawyer

Employment discrimination is a far-reaching, serious employment issue that can derail a victim’s career in a variety of ways. When you feel you have suffered damages because of the discrimination you faced at work, contact an experienced employment lawyer to determine the most productive course of action to take with your case. Contact our team at DSK Law today to schedule your initial legal consultation in one of our offices.