In this day and age, we’d like to think that human beings are capable of leaving all their biases and prejudices. The reality, however, is that discrimination exists in both random and systematic ways. It can be blatant, discreet, or implicit.
Discrimination refers to making an unreasonable distinction between categories of people that often leads to the unjust treatment of individuals based on the grounds of gender, age, sex, religion, disability, or sexual orientation.
Injustices could happen anywhere, but most allegations indicate prejudicial treatment in the workplace settings. If you feel that you’re being discriminated by your employer, it’s best to hire a discrimination attorney so you’ll be provided with valuable advice on how to proceed.
Seeking the services of a lawyer for discrimination allegations also presents the following benefical.
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1. Provides Expert Advice
There are updates and court rulings about discrimination laws that the general public isn’t aware of. Discrimination lawyers, who breathe and live anything about the law, are familiar with all of these changes, which makes them qualified persons to talk to about discrimination laws.
As with any other potential lawsuits, legal matters should be discussed with attorneys who can evaluate the situation and provide you with sound and expert advice.
2. Pinpoints Unlawful Discrimination
When it comes to filing a discrimination case, there are bound to be legal nuances. In some cases, it may be downright obvious, like an employee who’s terminated for being pregnant and not having done anything to warrant the said action. In some cases, it might be more implicit, like sexual orientation discrimination.
That being said, you can’t automatically allege to the court that you’re discriminated by your employer, like denying your promotion simply because you belong to a different religious order.
Generally speaking, the first step to determine whether you’ve been a victim of illegal discrimination is to establish that you belong to the category of persons protected by the federal and state anti-discrimination laws.
Employment happens when an applicant or employee is treated less than similar employees solely because the characteristics:
- Gender or sex
- Age
- Disability
- Religious affiliation
- Sexual orientation and gender identity
A discrimination lawyer can help you determine whether or not you’re in a protected class, and whether your employer intended to take adverse action because of your protected status.
3. Helps You Explore All Options
During your first few meetings, an attorney can discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your case, the potential expenses of pushing through with the case, and the damages you can collect in case of a successful legal battle.
Your lawyer can propose few options depending on your situation, such as the following:
- Sending a demand letter to your employer for possible out of court settlement
- Filing discrimination charge(s) against your employer before state or federal agencies
- Filing a lawsuit before the court
When the trials are running at various levels of the proceedings, your lawyer can help you make smart decisions by assessing your chances of winning or losing the case and offer better alternatives that’ll benefit you.
4. Gathers and Presents Evidence Supporting Your Case
Most of the time, discrimination happens in a subtle manner. In these instances, it can be very difficult to prove that your employer’s decision was discriminatory against you or as part of the category of protected individuals.
Choosing the best employment lawyer allows you to determine and gather the right kind of evidence that’s enough to warrant a lawsuit. Seeking and presenting the collected evidence, like documents, witness testimonies, among others, are critical to the success of your discrimination case.
5. Carries Out All Court Dealing on Your Behalf
Without proper knowledge about how legal proceedings work, it’s best to have your discrimination lawyer represent you in all court processes. With their expertise and strategies, as well as the appreciation of your situation, your attorney can decide on the best methods to use.
Whether identifying and locating credible witnesses, seeking expert opinion, sending a subpoena to access sensitive documents and transcripts, and filing motions, an attorney helps make your case stronger and increase your chances of winning a lawsuit.
Final Thoughts
Most of us are taught about the differences between males and females at an early age. It’s from these differences that we typically form our biases. In some cases, discrimination is fueled by misunderstanding and, sometimes, unreasonable fear.
If you think you’re a victim of injustice, always seek the services of a discrimination lawyer to arrive at an informed decision that aligns with your best interests.