While it is less common than it used to be, discrimination can still impact you in the workplace in California. Despite laws and outreach to help educate employers about discriminatory acts, there are still issues with discrimination on a daily basis in the state of California. There are strict laws in place that can protect you against this kind of improper treatment, and an experienced lawyer can support you after you have experienced discrimination in the workplace.
If you have been discriminated against, you might not be sure when to secure a California discrimination lawyer. This guide will help you know which kinds of situations necessitate securing legal help for your discrimination case. Having a skilled legal team on your side can make all the difference when you are seeking compensation and changes in business practices at your place of employment.
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When You Need a Discrimination Lawyer in California
There are some key situations that necessitate seeking legal help for your discrimination situation at work. These are not the only situations that could require that you secure legal support, but they are the most common types of discrimination that are experienced in the workplace. At the end of the day, if something that you experience at work feels “off” to you, you might have a case for discrimination or improper treatment, and you should speak to a legal team right away about your experience.
1. Unlawful Actions
If you are fired, demoted, denied promotion, or are not hired due to your age, race, gender, disability, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, or pregnancy status, it’s time to get a lawyer. These are all protected classes that cannot lead to any action being taken against you at work.
California has protections under FEHA that add to federal law to protect people in protected classes. You should never experience discrimination or bias if you fall into any of the above groups. If your employer has taken action against you related to these factors, you might have a case.
2. Workplace Harassment
If someone at your place of work sexually harasses you, threatens your safety, or shows clear bias toward you compared to other staff members, this is workplace harassment. You need to see legal support if you have been harassed at work by anyone. It doesn’t matter if your boss, a coworker, or even a member of a different work group at the same employer is engaging in these negative actions toward you. You need to seek legal guidance as soon as these actions are taken toward you at your workplace.
3. Retaliation
If you have made a report of safety issues, behavioral issues, or discrimination at your place of business and suffered retaliation, you need a lawyer. Retaliation can be firing, demotion, or even harassment on a personal level following making a report of actions that needed to be addressed by HR or senior management. Retaliation is more common than you might think, and many people don’t realize that the behavior that they are experiencing at work is actually harassment. You should never suffer this kind of behavior at work or tolerate being treated with harassment on a routine basis.
Why do I Need a Lawyer?
You might think that you don’t need a lawyer to help you out if you are being discriminated against at your job. You might have gone to HR and have hopes that this will take care of the issue. The problem with trying to go it alone in a harassment case is that California law is complex.
California has protections under FEHA that help extend your protections when it comes to harassment at work, which many people are not aware of. Additionally, there are strict timelines for reporting to the EEOC and California’s Civil Rights Department. If you miss these deadlines, it can be hard to seek compensation or alterations in the workplace behavior that you are experiencing.
Your lawyer can help you get evidence, a paper trail, and a timeline to support your case. They will also be able to collect witness testimony, and they understand all of the laws that apply to your situation. You will be much more likely to secure a favorable judgment in your case with a legal team on your side. In addition, dealing with harassment at work can be incredibly stressful. Having a lawyer handling all of the details of your case can help take some of the weight off your shoulders.
When Should I Seek Legal Counsel?
If you have suffered any kind of experience at your workplace that you think might be harassment or discrimination, you need to speak to a lawyer right away. You should verify that the legal teams that you are thinking of working with have experience with workplace harassment and discrimination cases.
Once you reach out to a lawyer, you will be scheduled for a consultation. Bring all of the evidence related to your case that you can to your appointment. The lawyer who is looking into your case will take a look at your evidence, and they will let you know if they think that you have a case.
Don’t waste any time if you think that you need to seek legal protection against your employer. The longer you wait, the harder it is to collect evidence, get witnesses to speak on your behalf, and to secure access to protections that are provided for under California law.
Working With a Skilled Lawyer Matters
As mentioned above, discrimination and harassment in the workplace can create complex legal situations. It is rare for an HR team to handle these cases correctly, and you should seek legal guidance as soon as possible after experiencing harassment or discrimination at work. Your lawyer will take a look at your case and start collecting the evidence necessary to support your efforts to seek a settlement or modification of company behavior.
An experienced lawyer will understand the ins and outs of California discrimination law. You will want to make sure that you are seeking the support of an experienced lawyer due to the complexity of California law.
