Riverside Workplace Discrimination Lawyer

California employees deserve a workplace that is safe and free of discrimination. Riverside workplace discrimination can severely affect employees and make them dread returning to work each day. Federal and state anti-discrimination protections ensure that no employee faces this type of mistreatment.

You deserve a safe work environment, and legal steps can obtain compensation for the harm you’ve suffered. If you’ve experienced discrimination, demotion, harassment, sexual harassment, and negative actions in the workplace because of a protected characteristic, you can file a claim. You can work with an employment attorney for legal support during this difficult time and protect your rights.

Workplace Discrimination Representation With the Law Offices of Corbett H. Williams

Filing for workplace discrimination is important, but it can be stressful when you’re already dealing with the overwhelming issues from your workplace. At the Law Offices of Corbett H. Williams, we understand how difficult dealing with a discrimination claim is. You may face financial difficulties because of discrimination and worrying about retaliation for filing. We protect your rights and help you file your claim. We make this easier.
We have years of experience with workplace discrimination claims and know the ideal legal options for your claim. We can ensure your filing is worded correctly and includes the necessary information and evidence. Our office has extensive resources and an in-depth understanding of employment law. That way, you can feel fully confident in your workplace discrimination claim and know it has its greatest chance of success.

What Are Workplace Discrimination Laws?

Anti-discrimination laws protect employees on a state and federal level. The California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) offers state protection. Federal anti-discrimination laws include the Civil Rights Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, the Equal Pay Act, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. These laws protect employees with certain protected characteristics from the negative actions of their employers. Protected characteristics include:

• Race and skin color
• Sex or gender
• National origin, including ethnicity, birthplace, ancestry, or language
• Medical information or conditions
• Disabilities, mental or physical
• Sexual orientation
• Gender expression
• Religion
• Pregnancy and childbirth
• Military status
• Marital status

An employer discriminating against an employee because of these characteristics can be held accountable for workplace discrimination. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) are the federal and state agencies responsible for workplace discrimination complaints.

What Negative Actions Are Part of Discrimination Claims?

Negative or adverse employment actions are necessary to file a workplace discrimination claim. These actions by employers, which are done in part because of discriminatory biases against your protected characteristic, set you as the employee at a disadvantage. These actions include:

• Wrongful termination or forced you to quit
• Demotion
• Lowered pay or benefits
• Refused to promote
• Harassment
• Retaliation
• Provided with unfavorable job duties or transfers
• Failed to hire
• Failed to provide reasonable accommodation in good faith
• Excluded from essential communications

Many employers who discriminate against their employees do not leave clear evidence of their bias in written communication. Because many employers hide their discriminatory biases, it can be hard to prove that these wrongful actions resulted from discrimination. You want to work with an experienced workplace discrimination lawyer to find evidence of how you were treated and why.

Why Do I Need a Riverside Workplace Discrimination Attorney?

Employment discrimination attorneys make the entire process of filing straightforward and less difficult. When you file a workplace discrimination complaint, you may fail to provide necessary information or not meet important legal deadlines. Incomplete information could lead to a denial of your complaint and cost you time and money. An attorney will ensure these mistakes don’t occur. They will also know whether filing your claim with the EEOC, the CRD, or both is better.

You may also find your employer retaliating against you and harassing you for filing a complaint or a claim. They have the resources necessary to prove that your work was satisfactory or that others in your workplace have suffered discrimination from your employer. When you have experienced legal counsel, they will know how to protect you against retaliation and navigate your claim effectively. An employment attorney will also help you find evidence in your claim, making you more likely to receive compensation.

How to Prove Workplace Discrimination

To prove a workplace discrimination claim, you must prove that:

• You, the employee, suffered negative employment actions
• You have a protected characteristic
• Your employer enacted these negative actions because of discrimination towards that characteristic.

Proving the actions were based on discrimination is often the most difficult part of a claim. Adverse employment actions can be motivated by more than just discrimination, and you can still hold your employer responsible for that discriminatory bias. An employment attorney can find both indirect and direct evidence of this bias, including:

• Internal workplace communication that shows a discriminatory bias
• Co-workers or prior employees who faced discrimination for the same protected characteristic
• Benefits that were given to select employees and not others
• Employees with less experience than you who received preferential treatment
• Verbal discrimination by employers
• A company policy that has discriminatory statements
• Reviews that show your work was satisfactory

Evidence is necessary for both a complaint and filing a claim against your employer. Some evidence you can gather yourself, but others require attorney resources.

Filing an Employment Discrimination Claim in Riverside, California

Filing a workplace discrimination claim on the state level with the CRD must be done within three years of the most recent act of discriminatory behavior. The CRD may move to file a claim against your employer itself or may elect to send you a Right to Sue notice. You are then able to file a claim without the CRD’s assistance.

To file on the federal level, you must send your complaint to the EEOC within 180 days of the most recent event of discrimination. This increases to 300 days if the discrimination is protected under state or local laws. The EEOC will either file a claim or provide you with the Right to Sue. If the EEOC receives multiple complaints about the same employer, it will likely investigate the issues. An EEOC investigation and claim will have more significant consequences for your employer.

There is a separate process for federal employees who face discrimination. The first step is to talk with an EEOC counselor to resolve this through mediation. If this is unsuccessful, then a formal complaint is filed.

Retaliation against Workplace Discrimination Claims

Even though retaliation is illegal, this doesn’t prevent it from occurring, as employees who face discrimination know. You may be afraid to come forward with a discrimination complaint because you don’t want to lose your job or face greater harassment. If you are worried about speaking out against workplace discrimination in fear of retaliation, know that legal help can defend your worker’s rights and help you document unfair treatment before or after filing. If you face retaliation for filing a claim, this will be further evidence against your employer.

FAQs

Q: What Qualifies as Workplace Discrimination?

A: Workplace discrimination includes a negative action by your employer that sets you at a disadvantage in some way. It may include termination, demotion, refusing to hire you, refusing good faith medical leave, decreasing your pay, delaying a deserved promotion, harassment, decreasing your benefits, refusing to reinstate you to a similar or the same job after rightful medical leave, or making your job unpleasant so that you are forced to quit. This action must be in part due to the employer’s discrimination.

Q: Can I Sue My Employer for Discrimination in California?

A: Yes. Discrimination is illegal, and if your employer’s discriminatory practices have put you at a disadvantage in the workplace, you can file for compensation. Employers can’t discriminate against you based on race, religion, ethnicity, ancestry, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, or because of medical conditions, among other protected characteristics. You can file a complaint with a federal or state agency to receive the Right to Sue your employer.

Q: Is it Hard to Prove Discrimination at Work?

A: It can be difficult to prove workplace discrimination because your employer will cover up their discriminatory behaviors and provide an alternate reason for the adverse actions. Often, they will say your work was unsatisfactory, which is why you were terminated or didn’t receive promotions or benefits. An employment discrimination attorney can help gather evidence that proves this alternate reason doesn’t make sense or is incorrect. Other evidence in your favor may include co-worker testimony, such as those who witnessed discriminatory behavior or those of the same protected class as you who suffered similar discrimination.

Q: What Would Be an Example of Discrimination in the Workplace?

A: An employer may pass you over for a promotion or cut your pay or benefits because of discriminatory bias based on your skin color, national origin, gender, sex, or other reason. They may also refuse to provide a reasonable accommodation that you need to perform your work because of a mental or physical disability. This disability may be temporary or permanent. Workplace discrimination also includes refusing to allow you medical leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

Protecting Yourself From Workplace Discrimination in Riverside

At the Law Offices of Corbett H. Williams, a riverside workplace discrimination lawyer can provide compassionate guidance and effective legal advocacy throughout your workplace discrimination claim. Contact us today to see how we can secure you the compensation you deserve.