Los Angeles Racial Discrimination Attorney
What is Racial and Color Discrimination?
Even though race discrimination was made illegal in the 1960’s, racial discrimination sadly continues to be practiced in today’s work environments. If you have experienced unfair treatment at work because of your race, color of your skin, or personal characteristics related to race, it can feel incredibly demeaning and demoralizing. You do not have to tolerate racial discrimination at work. Both federal and state laws make racial discrimination illegal.
Examples of Racial Discrimination
Racial discrimination occurs, for instance, when an employer refuses to promote Latino workers to management positions, refuses to interview Asian applicants, or does not give the same raises to African American workers as they do to white workers. Other examples of racial discrimination include other decisions based on race, such as:
- Hiring and applicant screening
- Unequal compensation
- Less desirable job assignments
- Harassment by coworkers or management
- Racial preference in termination, layoffs, or discipline
- Failure to promote
Racial discrimination can also be described as unfavorable treatment toward someone because that person is married, or linked, to a person who is of a specific race.
Racial Discrimination Violates Federal and State Laws.
Under federal and state law, racial discrimination is forbidden in any aspect of employment, including hiring, termination, compensation, job assignments, promotions, training and fringe benefits. It is also illegal to discriminate against a person because that person has complained about discrimination, filed a complaint of discrimination, or participated in a discrimination investigation or lawsuit. If this happened to you, learn more about your right to be protected from retaliation.
What Federal Laws Protect Against Racial Discrimination?
Federal law prohibits racial discrimination by public and private employers. Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, employers are forbidden from discriminating against their employees on the basis of race, color or national origin. Title VII applies to employers with 15 or more employees, including private employers as well as federal, state, and local governments. Private and public colleges and universities, labor organizations, and employment agencies are also subject to Title VII. In addition, Title 42, Chapter 21 of the U.S. Code prohibits discrimination against people on the basis of age (40 or older), disability, gender, race, national origin and religion within the areas of employment as well as other settings. Many times, workers face intersectional discrimination, on the basis of more than one of the protected categories.
What California State Laws Protect Against Racial Discrimination?
Under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), it is unlawful for an employer to discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, gender, age, sexual orientation, or military or veteran status. The FEHA also prohibits retaliation against employees for reporting or complaining about discriminatory treatment. Employers with five or more employees must comply with the FEHA.
What to Do if You Are Facing Discrimination or Harassment
If you believe you have been terminated by your employer because of your race or because you complained about racial discrimination, it is important that you talk to an experienced employment attorney right away. You may need to take certain steps to protect and assert your rights. A Strong Advocates attorney can assist you to better understand your rights and legal options.
