Georgia Employment Discrimination Lawyer
If you face discrimination or harassment at work, The Leach Firm, P.A. could help secure your rights and seek all available remedies, including compensation. Our Georgia employment discrimination lawyers can help you fight against bias based on race, sex, religion, national origin, or other legally protected classes.
With our extensive experience, we know how to use state and federal employment laws to pursue the best options for recovery after illegal discrimination.
What Workplace Discrimination May Involve in Georgia
Ways that employers may unlawfully discriminate against employees include unfair treatment in actions involving:
- Hiring
- Layoffs & termination
- Classification of employees
- Promotion
- Recruitment
- Training
- Retirement plans and other benefits
- Payment of wages
- Job duty transfer
- Testing
- Granting or denying disability leave
Essentially, if an employer treats a worker differently concerning terms of employment and that treatment stems from discrimination based on factors protected under the law, that employer has violated the worker’s rights. The worker may seek compensation and other remedies appropriate to the circumstances.
Frequently Asked Questions About Employment Discrimination in Georgia
1. Can I sue for workplace discrimination in Georgia?
Workplace discrimination is an issue that can be addressed in court, although you may need to file a claim through administrative channels first. Depending on the situation, your options may include filing an official complaint with the Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity or U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. A lawyer with experience helping workers address discrimination could assist with the administrative proceedings and pursue remedies through a lawsuit.
2. What qualifies as discrimination in the workplace in Georgia?
Discrimination comes in many forms. Harassment, such as allowing pervasive teasing based on race, religion, gender, or other protected factors, is a common form of workplace discrimination. Favorable or unfavorable treatment directed at a specific individual or group directly attributable to bias, such as denying certain opportunities to women or rejecting raises for someone of a specific nationality, are also considered types of workplace harassment.
Factors that are protected and where employers may not discriminate include race, sex, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, relationship status, age, and disability. Local Georgia ordinances protect some factors not covered under federal law, including domestic relationship status.
3. When should you look for an employment lawyer?
It is never too soon to seek legal representation if you believe you have suffered employment discrimination. A Georgia employment lawyer can assist you with gathering and compiling critical evidence and ensure that your case is as robust as possible. A Georgia employment lawyer could encourage your employer to take prompt action, settling the claim and remedying the situation by presenting a robust case. A settlement could provide you with compensation and prevent the need to go to court.
4. How do you prove discrimination at work?
Proving discrimination can be accomplished in a variety of ways. If you have written documentation, such as emails, memos, or notes that depict the biased behavior in action, these are critical pieces of evidence. Witness testimony can also play a crucial role as evidence of company-wide policies and practices. For example, if you can prove that workers of a certain race are consistently denied time off while other workers are not, you could have a strong case demonstrating illegal discrimination. An employment discrimination lawyer could help you to gather relevant evidence.
5. How long does it take to resolve an employment discrimination lawsuit?
The time required to settle or complete a lawsuit for employment discrimination varies depending on the facts of the case and the evidence available. Cases in which an employer incriminates themselves directly, such as via email, may be resolved sooner than cases involving more nuanced discrimination. In general, most employment discrimination lawsuits take between one to two years. An employment discrimination lawyer can give you a better understanding of the expected timeline.
Work with a Knowledgeable Employment Discrimination Lawyer in Georgia
When employers fail to treat employees fairly under the law, they should be held accountable. The dedicated employment law team at The Leach Firm, P.A. is ready to fight to protect you against illegal discrimination in the workplace.
Contact us for a free consultation and case evaluation. An experienced Georgia employment discrimination lawyer can explain how we can help you obtain compensation and other relief.