Devoted Employment Discrimination Attorneys Serving Clients in Palo Alto
Employees are entitled to certain rights according to state and federal laws. Unfortunately, many employers disregard these rights, which can have serious repercussions for employees, both financially and personally. If you’ve been in a situation where your rights were violated, finding a solution on your own can be challenging. Our team of experienced attorneys is here to assist you with issues such as discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, and retaliation in the workplace. To arrange a complimentary consultation with one of our team members, please get in touch with our employment discrimination lawyer in Palo Alto by calling (650) 200-1300 or contacting us online.
What is Workplace Discrimination?
Creating a workplace that treats everyone fairly and inclusively is really important. There are different laws, both national and state-specific, that aim to protect employees from unfair treatment. Let’s look at the different ways discrimination can happen at work:
Age Discrimination: If you’re over 40, the law protects you from being treated unfairly or harassed because of your age. Even though some employers might want to replace older workers with younger ones to save money, there are strong laws in place to prevent this.
Religious Discrimination: Employers have to make allowances for religious practices, like exceptions to dress codes or flexible prayer times, to make sure nobody is treated unfairly because of their religion.
Racial Discrimination: This is when someone is treated unfairly because of their race. It can include things like making racist comments or not treating people fairly in hiring, promotions, pay, or firing based on their race.
Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity: In California, it’s against the law to discriminate against someone because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. This law stresses the importance of treating everyone equally, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Disability Discrimination: People with disabilities are protected from being treated unfairly at work because of their disability. Employers have to make reasonable changes to help disabled employees do their job well.
Sex Discrimination: Both federal and state laws make it illegal to discriminate against someone because of their sex. This covers things like paying men and women differently for the same work, treating pregnant employees unfairly, or not hiring or promoting someone because of their sex. These protections apply to men as well.
It can be hard to spot discrimination because sometimes employers don’t even realize they’re doing it. They might give reasons for their decisions that don’t really tell the whole story. It’s important for employees to know their rights and for companies to create a work environment where everyone feels valued and included, no matter who they are.
Workplace Discrimination or Unfair Treatment
The primary distinction between unfair treatment and workplace discrimination lies in legality. Employment discrimination is prohibited by federal and state laws, which mandate that employers cannot consider protected characteristics when making employment decisions such as hiring, firing, or promotions. On the other hand, unfair treatment, while frustrating, does not provide legal recourse. For instance, if you’re passed over for a promotion because your boss hired their best friend, it may feel unjust, but it doesn’t necessarily constitute discrimination under the law. Despite your efforts and entitlement to the position, office politics and favoritism, while discouraging, are not illegal.
How Our Palo Alto Workplace Discrimination Lawyers Will Take Action For You
If you’re currently working, have had a job before, or are seeking employment, you may find yourself in a situation where you have a valid reason to take legal action against an employer who discriminates. Our legal team has dealt with various forms of discrimination and is well-equipped to handle such cases:
- Unfair Treatment: This occurs when an employer treats an employee unfairly compared to others, based on factors that are prohibited by law.
- Retaliation: Employees might face unfair treatment for speaking up against discriminatory practices by their employer.
- Adverse Impact: Employees may suffer negative consequences as a result of the employer’s practices that affect a protected group.
- Systematic Unfair Treatment: This involves showing significant statistical differences between members of a protected group and a larger group with similar qualifications.
Proving that an employer’s actions were based on improper reasons can be challenging, but our experienced attorneys excel at gathering evidence to reveal the truth. If you suspect you’ve experienced employment discrimination and believe false justifications were provided, it’s crucial to consult with a lawyer promptly to assess your case.
Call Us Today to Speak with A Palo Alto Workplace Discrimination Attorney
Employees have important rights according to state and federal laws. Unfortunately, some employers fail to uphold these rights and neglect to provide the necessary protections for their workers. With over 60 years of combined experience, Winer, Burritt & Scott, LLP has successfully recovered over $200 million for our clients. Our proven track record and legal expertise assure our clients that we will strive for the best possible outcomes for their employment cases while remaining fully compliant with the law. We are dedicated to safeguarding employees’ rights and holding employers accountable when they fail to fulfill their legal obligations.
If you would like a free case evaluation with an employment discrimination lawyer in Palo Alto, please contact our office today at (650) 200-1300 or fill out our online contact form.