Costa Mesa Workplace Discrimination Lawyer

It takes a significant amount of time, patience, and effort to advance professionally, and many people work hard for their careers. Regardless of industry or job title, everyone has the right to work in a safe environment. Unfortunately, not all work environments support their employees. Sexual harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, and discrimination can all turn a positive work environment into a hostile one very quickly.

Discrimination is illegal, and California law takes these cases very seriously. If you believe that you are being discriminated against, it is your right and your duty to take action. With the help of an Orange County employment law attorney, you can create and navigate a discrimination case with the power of the law behind you.

The Law Offices of Corbett H. Williams: The Best Orange County Discrimination Lawyers

When looking for an employment law attorney who can create a strong discrimination case in your favor, look no further than our expert Costa Mesa attorneys. We have been working in the discrimination and employment law sectors for many years, and we fight diligently for all of our clients. We have no patience or tolerance for employers who discriminate against or harass their employees, which is why we work tenaciously in the pursuit of justice.

Though we pride ourselves on our passion for workers’ rights, we understand that individual workers often feel vulnerable when going through a discrimination case. Because of this, we aim to be a comforting, approachable presence for our clients. You can trust us with your story, and you will always have our full support throughout your employment law case.

When you look for a discrimination attorney, it is important to find a firm with significant experience in employment law cases. Our Orange County discrimination lawyers are experts in this field and offer the best legal representation in the area.

What Is Workplace and Employment Discrimination?

Though many people understand the basics of discrimination, it can be hard to fathom how it may appear in the workplace. This is especially true if you have never experienced discrimination yourself.
Workplace discrimination occurs when an employee is treated poorly or differently than their colleagues because of a protected class. Protected classes include:

• Religion
• Ethnicity
• Disability
• Race
• Gender or gender expression
• Sexual orientation
• Pregnancy
• Marital status
• Age

When an employer makes decisions about an employee solely based on one of these traits, they are discriminating against their worker.
Discrimination appears in many different ways. Some common examples of discrimination include:

• Denying a job applicant
• Forgoing or delaying a promotion
• Excluding from important meetings, communications, or information that is relevant to the individual
• Making inappropriate jokes, comments, or asking questions in poor taste
• Any kind of harassment
• Punishing for something that others are not punished for
• Wrongful termination
• Retaliation

There are many other ways that discrimination can appear in the workplace. Any time you believe that you are being treated differently because of a protected class, you have the right to explore a workplace discrimination case.

Should I Hire a Costa Mesa Employment Lawyer?

If you believe that you are experiencing or have experienced discrimination, it is a good idea to hire a Costa Mesa lawyer. These cases are tricky and require expert attention and care. There are many things that can go wrong, and it is important for your reputation and your career that you navigate the claim properly. An attorney can ensure that this happens.

The aim of most employment cases in Costa Mesa, CA is to gain a settlement from your employer. This settlement can offer you compensation for your suffering and the wrongdoing that occurred against you. However, these cases have much more than just financial power. Patterns of discrimination are common in the workplace. If you take action against the discrimination that happened to you, you could help to prevent further damage to your coworkers.

These cases require an expert because you need a significant amount of proof to win. We can help you to accumulate the necessary evidence for your case and give you a realistic timeline of events. We also help you to navigate the court system, which can be confusing and requires significant attention.

Timing and Discrimination

One of the best ways to prove discrimination is through timing. If new information about you has come forward in the office, be sure to be on the lookout for discriminatory behavior. For example, if you recently came out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community and your boss suddenly fired you a few days later without a convincing explanation, you likely have a discrimination case.

Timing is not always as obvious as in the above example. You must pay attention to the information that you share via social media and other public outlets. Though you may share something like a pregnancy on your Facebook page, that information can easily get back to your employer and result in discrimination. You must assume that any information you share about any protected class can trigger discriminatory practices.

If you do reveal information about a protected class, be sure to document it for your records. This can help to bolster your case if you do need to file a discrimination claim.

Other Forms of Evidence

Timing is a key indication of discrimination, but there are other forms of evidence that may be helpful in your case. Key evidence may include the following:

• Emails, messages, memos, and other communications
• Performance reviews
• Written warnings
• Meeting transcripts
• Witness statements

This is not an exhaustive list of potential types of evidence that will be helpful to your case. If you are experiencing discrimination, preserve the above pieces of evidence if you can. You should also keep a record of any interactions or events between you and the person perpetuating the discrimination.
Your attorney can help you to determine what pieces of evidence are important in your case, and we can help to assemble them as well.

Discrimination and Retaliation

Unfortunately, many people ignore discrimination because they believe that taking action will only make things worse. Though this is an understandable reaction, it is important to know that it is unfounded. Retaliation of any kind is illegal in the state of California. If you create a discrimination case, your employer cannot fire you or treat you differently because of it, even if the court ultimately finds your employer not guilty.

Retaliation is illegal even before you create a court case. If you report or say something about discriminatory behavior, you cannot be fired for voicing your concerns or advocating for yourself. If you have voiced concern about discrimination which resulted in further poor treatment, our Costa Mesa lawyers are here to help you open a legal case.

FAQs

Q: Can You Get Unemployment if You Were Fired in California?

A: Sometimes. Unemployment benefits are available to employees who have been laid off or fired for certain reasons. However, if you are fired because of poor behavior or as a retaliatory action, the unemployment office will likely have to investigate further before granting unemployment benefits. An attorney can help you to navigate the unemployment system while you build your case. Legal representation may help the office to hear and believe your story.

Q: What Is Unfair Treatment at Work?

A: Unfair treatment at work is any type of behavior in which an individual singles you out or treats you poorly because of a protected class such as race, gender, religion, etc. It is important to note that your employees do not need to be enthusiastically kind or accommodating to you. However, they must show respect regardless of who you are. If you do your job poorly or cause issues for your coworkers, they have every right to dislike you.

Q: What to Do if You Are Being Treated Differently at Work?

A: If you believe that you are being treated differently than your coworkers, you should approach human resources first. Tell them what you are experiencing, and record the conversation if you can. Ask them to write a report reflecting your concerns. Ask them what they intend to do and whether they will speak to the offender on your behalf. If they do and the behavior continues, you should reach out to an attorney to begin building a discrimination claim.

Q: What Is Considered a Hostile Work Environment?

A: A hostile work environment occurs when you experience harassment or discrimination so severe that it hinders your ability to do your job. For example, if you are being left out of important meetings because of your gender, it can impede your ability to do your job well because it keeps vital information from you. Another example is if your coworkers make so many jokes about your ethnicity that it makes you feel depressed and unable to work.

Contact the Law Offices of Corbett H. Williams

No one should be treated differently for being themselves at work. Our team is here to make sure that Costa Mesa employers treat their employees with fairness, respect, and kindness. If they do not, we are here to ensure that the law forces them to do so.

For more information about our services,contact the Law Offices of Corbett H. Williams online.