In the workplace, discrimination refers to actions directed against a particular individual or group of individuals. Essentially, people cannot be discriminated against because of their race, gender, or disability, no matter where in the country they are located.
There are many laws that protect employees from discrimination at work, and Federal regulations prohibit discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion, and national origin. When most people think of unfairness, they imagine these particular concerns. However, discrimination can be more subtle and even harder to identify, which is why professional assistance may be necessary to determine your next steps. Nevertheless, you don’t have to suffer in silence if you find or believe you have been discriminated against, and there are several steps you should consider taking.
Contact A Workplace Law Attorney Immediately
While a court case can be an effective means of addressing a perceived injustice, it is not always necessary to take legal action to resolve it. However, without understanding the legal system, you’ll never be sure. For this reason, contacting an experienced law firm specializing in this type of case is essential to learn more about the nuances and what you stand to gain. When searching for the best employment law firm to handle your case, you must ensure that they understand a broad range of discrimination types and have dealt with these kinds of issues before. A free consultation should help you find out what they recommend next, so you are better informed.
Preserve All Evidence
While you are in contact with an attorney, it is best to keep anything that could be used as evidence. It is best not to directly confront your employer beforehand because it could affect any case in the future. However, it would be best to speak with your lawyer, who will advise you on what forms of evidence will be permissible in court in your particular jurisdiction.
For instance, emails, phone calls (including duration and quantity), messages, and even your work contracts outlining your job and remuneration. Cataloging as much evidence as you can will not only be beneficial to your case, but it could help other employees in a similar situation.
File An Official Complaint
Once you have been in contact with a law firm and have agreed to represent your case, you can file a formal grievance with your employer. The way you go about this will depend on the type of work you do and the size of the company. In some cases, you can send a letter directly to the owner of smaller companies. In comparison, larger companies might require you to begin an official process with their human resources department. At this point, your attorney will have already laid out steps to take and may have even drafted an official letter on your behalf.
Nobody should have to endure the mental repercussions of workplace harassment for something that they cannot prevent. You can take a variety of steps to address these injustices, but your initial step should be contacting a lawyer who will counsel you to let you know if you have a case.