Discrimination

“My employer fired me because I failed to follow a procedure. Numerous younger employees failed to follow the same procedure and were never reprimanded for it. What can I do?”

An employer may not fire an employee for an illegal reason. Discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, or physical or mental disability is prohibited by both federal and most state laws and is illegal. In the New England region, the majority of states also prohibit discrimination on the basis of marital status and sexual orientation.

An employee can experience illegal discrimination related to hiring, firing, discipline, demotion, lack of promotion, and unfair pay rates or raises. Employees sometimes recognize that they are being treated unfairly, but believe there is little they can do without first possessing ironclad proof of discrimination. The litigation process can provide access to previously inaccessible employer materials (such as emails and records) that confirm suspicions of discriminatory motivations. Furthermore, even without direct proof, discrimination can sometimes be demonstrated through examples and patterns of inconsistent treatment between otherwise similarly situated employees possessing different demographic characteristics. In other words, when an employer unjustifiably treats one employee more harshly than other similarly situated employees, this can sometimes constitute evidence of discrimination.

Employees subject to improper discrimination in the workplace may be entitled to damages, including but not limited to lost wages, lost earning capacity, lost employment benefits, emotional distress, humiliation, inconvenience, loss of enjoyment of life, and attorney fees.

We Offer Free Initial Consultations

If you believe you’re being treated differently in the workplace or have improperly faced adverse action, up to and including termination, because you are a member of a protected class, do not hesitate to contact Wyatt & Associates for a free initial consultation. Our experienced and compassionate attorneys will sit down with you and take the time to listen to your story. In the event that you choose to retain us, we can help vindicate your rights and will zealously advocate on your behalf at every step of the process—whether that is filing a discrimination charge with the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or an equivalent state agency, or representing you in litigation before a state or federal court.