Race Discrimination
Race discrimination, or that which is based on skin color, in the workplace is a rampant problem in the U.S. today. Despite the state’s strict employment laws and lots of worker rights, California is no exception. Discriminatory employers may subject workers to unfair, unlawful, and adverse employment actions simply because of their race. It is up to victims to take a stand against employers guilty of race discrimination. You are protected from discrimination regardless of your race, color, or national origin because of Title VII. Title VII is a portion of the legislation that was created in the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a historic combination of laws that greatly increased the level of protection from discrimination and other civil injustices for many Americans.
Racial discrimination in the workplace is not only unethical and unfair, but it is also illegal. While racial discrimination at work can take various forms, it can end up causing employees significant emotional distress – regardless of whether the discriminatory actions were intentional.
How Racial Discrimination Can Occur
When racial discrimination takes place at work, it generally involves the unfavorable treatment of a job applicant or employee due to his or her race, skin color/complexion, hair texture or other features associated with his or her race. Specifically, racial discrimination occurs when, due to someone’s race or racial feature(s), an employer:
- Refuses to hire that person
- Discriminates against him or her in terms of pay, benefits, job assignments, promotions and/or training
- Demotes, lays off or fires that person
- Forces that person to quit
Additionally, racial discrimination can occur when someone, due to his or her race or a racial feature, is subjected to harassment, including (but not limited to):
- Racial slurs
- Offensive jokes
- Derogatory statements or comments
- Displays of racially offensive symbols or images
Why Should I Hire an Employment Lawyer?
California law mandates that it’s your right as an employee to work safely without being discriminated against for your race, color, or national origin. If you feel that your rights have been violated and you’ve already filed a complaint, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit against your employer to both seek justice and potentially get compensated for your losses.
Along with gathering evidence and filing your claim in a timely manner, our lawyers can also help you understand if you’re a victim of racial discrimination, as some cases aren’t immediately obvious. It can sometimes be difficult to determine if something that happened to you is tied to your race.
Some signs of possible racial discrimination in the workplace to be aware of include:
- Your hours or pay was reduced
- There was a failure to stop racism or ethnic jokes from being made in the workplace
- You’re being excluded from meetings and events
- Employees from a certain race are being promoted over others
- Retaliation against employees who associate with other races or speak out about racism
- Failing to hire job applicants with ethnic-sounding names
We’ve recovered damages for clients in the past that include back wages, benefits, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and more, and we’re able to sit down with you to calculate just how much you’ve lost. If you believe you were mistreated at work because of your race or ethnicity, don’t hesitate to call our Los Angeles race discrimination lawyers to get the protection you need. We can seek compensation for your damages and obtain justice for you when we take legal action.
Count on an experienced lawyer from Workers’ Advocate Law Group who has extensive experience in fighting for their clients’ employment rights. You can contact our firm online to schedule your free consultation in English or Spanish today. Our team will be more than happy to assist you accordingly.
