There are several local and federal laws in place to protect employees from various types of discrimination at work. Unfortunately, many Charlottesville employers ignore these legal protections or are unaware of them and unlawfully mistreat their workers. For this reason, it is important for workers to understand their employment rights.
If you have experienced on-the-job discrimination, you may be able to file a state or federal claim to recover any lost wages you may have incurred as a result of your employer’s unlawful business practices. However, your time to file a claim is extremely limited, and any delays could jeopardize the outcome of your case.
By working with an attorney, you can learn more about the claims process as well as whether you have grounds for a valid civil lawsuit. You can learn more about the laws that protect you from adverse treatment from your boss by contacting a Charlottesville employment lawyer from the Spiggle Law Firm.
Discrimination Versus Harassment
Unlawful employer discrimination involves the mistreatment of a worker on the basis of a protected factor, which are defined by federal law. On the other hand, harassment is repeated aggressive behavior toward a person in a protected category.
For example, choosing to not hire a person on the basis of their race or ethnicity is considered discrimination. Alternatively, making derogatory remarks about the race or ethnicity of an employee is considered harassment. All types of workplace harassment and discrimination are illegal in Charlottesville.
According to state and federal laws, it is illegal to discriminate against individuals on the basis on the following protected factors:
- Race
- Ethnicity
- Gender
- Religion
- Sexual Orientation
- Disability
- Military status
- Pregnancy
- Age
With the help of an experienced employment lawyer in Charlottesville, workers who have been discriminated against may be able to hold their employers liable.
Filing a Claim
A Charlottesville worker who wishes to take legal action against an employer has a limited amount of time to file a claim. There is a legal time frame set by the state’s statute of limitations for both state and federal claims, and if a worker fails to file a lawsuit in the specified amount of time, they risk having their case completely dismissed by the courts.
Claims filed with the Virginia Council on Human Rights must be submitted within 180 days after the incident of alleged discrimination. Alternatively, workers who wish to file a formal compliant of discrimination through the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission must do so within 300 days after the initial discriminatory event.
Once a person files a claim, the appropriate state or federal employment agency may try to facilitate an agreement between the employee and their boss through mediation. If the agency prefers to investigate the claim, it will collect documents from the employer and interview potential witnesses.
Afterwards, they will decide whether the worker’s claim is valid. Regardless of whether the agency finds evidence of discrimination, a worker retains the right to file a civil lawsuit against their boss with the help of an employment law attorney.
Call a Charlottesville Employment Attorney Today
If you need help filing a claim or lawsuit, an attorney from our firm can assist. You only have a limited amount of time to file, and if you are successful, you may be able to obtain compensation and hold the person or party who discriminated against you liable in court.
No one deserves to be discriminated against, especially not in the workplace. Contact a Charlottesville employment lawyer today to learn more about your options for taking legal action against an employer.
