Orange County Racial Discrimination Lawyer
Protecting California Workers Against Racial and Ethnic Discrimination
The Orange County discrimination lawyers at Coast Employment Law have years of experience helping clients who have experienced discrimination in workplaces throughout Southern California. Discrimination in the workplace occurs whether an employer treats an employee differently based on certain immutable characteristics, including race, gender, religion, or by taking adverse employment actions against an employee for improper reasons. State and federal law both specifically prohibit racial or ethnic discrimination in the workplace.
If you have experienced racial discrimination at work, or if you are a California employer fielding allegations of racial discrimination in the workplace, it is vital that you seek the help of a knowledgeable, passionate, and effective Orange County discrimination lawyer.
You Have Rights Under California State and Federal Law
Federal and state laws prohibit racial discrimination in the workplace. Federal law remedies for discrimination are based on Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which applies to employers with more than 15 employees. California also prohibits racial discrimination in the workplace under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), which protects workers against discrimination or retaliation and applies to employers with five or more employees. FEHA protections apply to applicants, unpaid interns, contractors, volunteers, and employees. Harassment is prohibited in all workplaces, even if they have fewer than five employees.
Proving Workplace Discrimination
Unfortunately, discrimination can be difficult to prove. If you experience discriminatory conduct, it is important to keep notes or documentation wherever possible. Make notes of conversations or comments that may support your claim, including dates, times, personnel involved, and the discriminatory content. Keep documentation relating to workplace benefits or opportunities denied as a result of your race. The more verifiable information you can bring to your initial consultation with your California workplace discrimination attorney, the stronger your claim will be.
Discrimination in the workplace can take many forms. You may have a claim for employment discrimination if you have experienced any of the following:
- You were fired, turned down for a job, denied a promotion or given undesirable assignments as a result of your race or ethnicity
- You were denied any other bonuses or benefits as a result of your race or ethnicity
- You have experienced harassment in the workplace by co-workers or superiors based on your race, including inappropriate comments, slurs, cartoons, pictures or racial jokes
- You were retaliated against for complaining about workplace discrimination or harassment
- You were inappropriately disciplined or marked down on performance reviews as a result of your race or ethnicity
Strict Liability for Supervisor Conduct
California is a very employee-friendly state. Employers are strictly liable for any harassment or discriminatory conduct undertaken by a supervisor. This means that an employer is deemed by law to know about the conduct of supervisors, and the employer will automatically be liable if the conduct of supervisors is proven.
In the case of harassment by co-workers, the employer may be liable if the plaintiff can show that supervisors, HR, or other company representatives were aware of the conduct and did not take appropriate measures to remedy or stop the harassing conduct. If you intend to base a claim of discrimination on the conduct of co-workers, it is important to file complaints and report the conduct through the appropriate channels within your workplace. If you go through the proper internal procedures and nothing is done, then you have a claim for harassment or discrimination. If another employee is committing discriminatory or harassing conduct openly and obviously or in the presence of a supervisor, then a formal complaint may not be required.
Contact an Orange County Racial Discrimination Lawyer Today
If you’ve been discriminated against by an employer based on your race, ethnicity, or national origin, don’t be held back by embarrassment, by a feeling that the system is stacked against you, or by fear of retaliation from your employer. The Orange County racial discrimination lawyers at Coast Employment Law are familiar with the apprehension and fear that employment discrimination carries. We will evaluate your case and tailor our representation to your specific needs. We will protect you against retaliatory conduct by your employer and work with you to ensure that you get the strongest protection for your rights.
If you or anyone you know needs legal help to fight against racial discrimination in the workplace in Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, and San Diego counties, or anywhere in California, contact Coast Employment Law at 714-551-9930, or complete the contact form on this website to schedule a free consultation.
