Race Discrimination Lawyer

Unfortunately, race and color discrimination still exist in our society, but Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and state laws such as NJLAD and the PHRA prohibit any discrimination based on a person’s race or the color of his or her skin. Race discrimination can even extend to an individual’s association with people of a certain race or color. For example, an employer may fire a white employee because he or she has a spouse of another race or associates with persons of a different color.

What are Some Examples of Workplace Race Discrimination?

Workplace race discrimination is a phrase used to describe any negative experience imposed upon an employee by either their supervisor or by fellow colleagues due to his or her race. There are many obvious forms of workplace race discrimination, including instances where an individual is denied the same benefits or same pay as other employees because of their race. Other examples include repeated denial of raises, promotions or other opportunities to advance in the workplace, when other less qualitied individuals of a different race have received such benefits. However, there are more subtle forms of workplace race discrimination that a race discrimination attorney can help you identify. For example, if you have been subjected to repeated verbal harassment that is race-based or race related, you may also have a case for race workplace discrimination. Remember, workplace discrimination does not have to originate from your boss or supervisor – a colleague who makes racial slurs or directs racist comments at you also violates workplace racial discrimination laws.

Does Discrimination or Harassment on the Basis of Physical Characteristics Associated with Race Violate the Law?

Workplace racial discrimination is not limited to outright acts of discrimination because of someone’s race, or the use of racial slurs in the workplace. Instances of racial discrimination also occur when a co-worker or supervisor discriminates or harasses an individual because of various physical characteristics associated with race, such as facial features, skin color, or hair texture. Additionally, if you complain to a supervisor about a coworker making jokes or comments about either race or various physical features typically associated with race, and that supervisor fails to act or address those complaints, you may have a claim for workplace racial discrimination. The race discrimination lawyers at Zeff Law Firm will consult with you for free and advise you on next steps in your case.

Do Ethnic Slurs, Racial Jokes, or Derogatory Comments Fit the Definition of Race Discrimination?

Racial slurs, ethnic slurs, derogatory comments about race and jokes about racial groups or ethnicities all fall under the definition of racial discrimination. Under Title VII and similar state statutes in both Pennsylvania in New Jersey explicitly prohibit the use of such phrases in the workplace. In other words, the law protects employees from having to be subjected to such comments while they are working, and violations of those rules gives the victim of those derogatory comments the right to file a lawsuit and seek compensation. If you are continuously harassed at work, or consistently subjected to racial slurs or derogatory comments while working, you should immediately speak with a race discrimination attorney. A race discrimination lawyer can review your claim with you, discuss your options, and, if your case meets all of the elements of a racial discrimination lawsuit, can file a case on your behalf.

How do you Prove Race Discrimination in the Workplace?

There are generally two ways to prove racial discrimination in the workplace, depending in part, on how the discrimination occurred. If the discrimination stems from repeated uses of racial slurs among employees, you would prove your case by calling witnesses on your behalf who can testify that they saw or heard the employee make those comments. It will also help your case to show that you addressed those issues with a supervisor, and the supervisor took no action to stop the employee from making discriminatory comments. On the other hand, if the discriminatory act relates to your employer consistently denying you employment opportunities because of your race, you may have to present different evidence. For example, if your claim is that your employer did not offer you a promotion because of your race, you would have to show that you were qualified for the position, but that the position was instead offered to someone else of a different race. It would help your case to show that the person actually hired was notably less qualified than you, or that several promotions had been available in the past that you were qualified for, but that you had been denied the opportunity every time. In short, the best way to ensure that you have enough evidence to support your workplace discrimination claim is to consult a race discrimination attorney to discuss your case.

What is Necessary to File a Race Discrimination Claim?

Filing a racial discrimination lawsuit is a complicated process. It requires collecting the necessary evidence, filing the appropriate documents either with the court or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and creating a case strategy to help guide you through the litigation process. A good race discrimination lawyer should know all of the elements necessary to file a successful workplace race discrimination claim. The attorneys at Zeff Law Firm have helped dozens of clients find justice for race discrimination in the workplace. Contact our offices today to learn more about your options and how we can help you.