Employment Discrimination Lawyer
All employees deserve to feel safe and respected in the workplace. Unfortunately, that does not always happen. Even though there are laws that prohibit discrimination against an employee’s race, religion, national origin, age, gender disability, discrimination still occurs. If you believe that you are facing discrimination at your job, you may want to consult an employment discrimination lawyer.
Attorneys have provided a few common signs of discrimination at work to be mindful of.
Unequal Pay
Unequal pay is one of the most common forms of employment discrimination. If you and a coworker of the opposite gender possess the same qualifications and experience, you both should be paid the same wages. If your coworker has a higher salary, you may be facing gender discrimination at work.
Inappropriate Job Interview Questions
Employers are prohibited from asking certain questions during interviews. These questions may involve a job candidate’s religion, disability, age or pregnancy. For instance, if an employer asks you about your disability during the interview, it could indicate a discriminatory workplace.
Unfair Disciplinary Action
Sometimes it is necessary for employees to receive disciplinary action for their wrongdoings. However, discipline should be fair amongst employees. For instance, if one employee receives a written warning for being late to work once while another employee is frequently late to work and never receives disciplinary action, this could be considered workplace discrimination.
Lack of Diversity
If a company tends to only hire people of a certain gender, race or another demographic, it can be a form of discrimination. In this day and age, employers are expected to have diversity in the workplace. Even if the lack of diversity is not intentional, it should be addressed.
Improper Comments and Jokes
Employers and employees should refrain from making improper comments and jokes about a person or an entire group of people at work. It can make others feel very uncomfortable and cause hostility in the workplace. For example, if a coworker tells you that you’re doing your job too slowly and that you should retire, you may be facing discrimination.
Denying Religious Leave
This type of discrimination is more subtle than others, but is still very harmful. As long as the leave does not adversely directly affect the workplace, employers are required to allow religious leave for their employees. If their requests are denied without a good reason, an employment discrimination lawsuit can result.
Assigned Non-Work Related Jobs Based on Gender
Giving non-work related jobs based on gender is another subtle form of workplace discrimination. For example, female employees may always be asked to get coffee for clients while male employees are never asked. This type of workplace discrimination is demeaning, but can be quite difficult to prove. It is important to work with a qualified employment discrimination attorney. He or she can investigate your case and stand up for your legal rights.
If you are facing discrimination at your job, you should schedule a consultation with an employment discrimination attorney to talk about your case in detail.
