Fight for your Rights with the Help of a Fort Lauderdale Discrimination Attorney

The term “post-racial” came into vogue shortly after America elected its first African American president, Barack Obama, in 2008. But as historic and momentous as that decision was, it did not put an end to discrimination in the United States. Whether based on gender, race, sexual orientation, age, or physical disability, people are held to different standards and judged on these identity traits. It is difficult, perhaps even impossible to control these prejudices when they happen out on the street. But when a person is treated unfairly or paid less in the office based solely on these factors, laws have been broken and the victim is entitled to compensation.

The law

There really is very little ambiguity when it comes to employers treating or paying people differently based on any of the aforementioned identity traits. Laws that prohibit discrimination in the workplace have been around since 1964! Most were based on gender and race, but have since been expanded to include the elderly, people with disabilities, and homosexuals.

Your rights

Legal television shows and movies make discrimination law look a lot simpler and more idealistic than it really is. There is seldom one big bad bigot and one helpless victim, which is what make these cases difficult to prove. The plaintiff must demonstrate that they were discriminated against based on a specific identity trait. More often than not, these cases involve wrongful termination, biased promotion, or unequal compensation or pay.

Damages

Most discrimination cases deal with specific circumstances and numbers. If, for example, an employee feels he was unfairly denied a promotion, he may decide to sue for the salary or wages owed him. More sophisticated cases that involve harassment may entitle the victim to emotional damages and further financial remuneration. These cases should be handled by a talented and experienced Fort Lauderdale discrimination attorney.

What you should know

For starters, every case is different. Some deal with bias that is based on temporary conditions, such as pregnancy, while others consider more permanent factors, such as race or gender. Like all legal proceedings, the more evidence you have, the better. If you or your Fort Lauderdale discrimination attorney can convince one of more of your current or former coworkers to testify on your behalf, it could go a long way.

Discrepancies

Some discriminations laws are federal laws, which mean they must be observed in all states, but others are not. If you are considering filing a suit against a current or former employer, make sure you consult a Fort Lauderdale discrimination law firm. These cases can be quite sophisticated and a good Fort Lauderdale discrimination attorney will not recommend talking the matter further unless he thinks you have a good chance of winning.

As a general rule, if your employer has discriminated against your on the basis of your sex, race, religion, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, citizenship status, or because of financial difficulties (i.e., bankruptcy), you may have sufficient grounds for a lawsuit.