Tampa Discrimination Lawyer

Being a victim of workplace discrimination can be both harmful and emotional, and have actual economic effects on a person too, such as impairing their ability to receive a promotion or get a pay raise. When discrimination in the workplace occurs, federal law has been breached, and the discriminated person maintains the right to take action. If you are a victim of workplace discrimination, call our Tampa discrimination lawyers at the offices of de Beaubien, Simmons, Knight, Mantzaris & Neal, LLP for a consultation about your options and how our lawyers can provide you with qualified legal representation.

What Is Workplace Discrimination?

Discrimination refers to the unjust or prejudiced treatment of a person based on characteristics that the person possesses. While it certainly is notillegal to refuse to hire someone because of a major personality difference, or decide not to promote someone based on poor work performance, it isillegal to discriminate against someone based on any of the following characteristics, as outlined by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC):

• Age;
• Disability;
• Genetic information;
• National origin;
• Pregnancy;
• Race/color;
• Religion;
• Sex; and
• Sexual orientation or gender status, including transgender status.

In addition to it being unlaw for an employer to discriminate against an employee based on the above, it is also illegal for an employer to retaliate against an employee for filing a discriminated-based complaint.

Types of Discriminatory Actions

There are a number of prohibited discriminatory acts. These include:

• It is illegal for an employer to post a job advertisement that expresses a preference for any of the above;
• It is illegal for an employer to discriminate against a job applicant (i.e. deny them the position or give them the position) based on any of the factors listed above;
• It is illegal for an employer to base job assignments, promotions, pay, and benefits off of any of the factors listed above; and
• It is illegal for an employer to discipline or discharge an employee based on any of the characteristics listed above.

Employers are also required to provide reasonable accommodations for those with disabilities, as well as reasonable accommodations for those with certain religious beliefs and practices. Finally, any harassing behavior that is based on a characteristic listed above is illegal.

Your Rights as an Employee Who Has Been Discriminated Against

If you have been discriminated against in the workplace, our lawyers encourage you to report the discrimination to a supervisor or HR manager immediately, document as many details as you can about the discrimination, and file a complaint with the EEOC if the problem isn’t remedied immediately. For assistance in understanding your options, including your right to seek restitution for harm you have suffered, please call our Tampa discrimination attorneys immediately.

You can reach our Tampa discrimination lawyers directly by calling our office, or by sending us a brief message describing your situation using the intake form on our website. Our law firm has more than four decades of experience working for clients like you.