Many wrongful termination lawsuit stem from discrimination. While it is illegal to fire someone based on a certain protected category, there are sadly many employers who discriminate against employee for unlawful reasons. Somehow, our society has fostered a world of discrimination that is deeply ingrained in our everyday lives that we sometimes pass it by without ever giving it a second glance. Steps to creating a major shift in thinking will take time, but our lawyers at California Labor Law Employment Attorneys Group believe that pursuing a wrongful termination and discrimination lawsuit is a step in the right direction. If you lost your job and been discriminated against, this is your chance to send the message to employers that discrimination is wrong and illegal. Those that still think discrimination is okay need to understand that they cannot continue to get away with it, and our attorneys want to join you in taking a stand and making a statement about discrimination in the workplace.
Wrongful termination and discrimination
Wrongful termination cases based on discrimination usually stem from a violation of the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Title VII is a federal law that prohibits employers from discrimination against employees on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, and national origin. Many amendments have expanded the definitions of these categories, and other federal and state laws have extended protection to other categories someone may identity with. Title VII was initiated in 1964, and yet we continue to see violations of the act, proving the fight against discrimination is not yet over. Discrimination can mean many things under this law, including hiring and firing; compensation, assignment, or classification of employees; transfer, promotion, layoff, or recall; job advertisements; recruitment; testing; use of company facilities; training and apprenticeship programs; fringe benefits; pay, retirement plans, and disability leave; and other terms and conditions of employment. If any of these have happened to you based on your race, color, sex, religion, or national origin, then you may have a discrimination case and come call one of our discrimination attorneys to receive help now. You do not have to only be discharged to make file a discrimination claim. If you’ve been fired for filing a claim, then your employer illegally fired you and this too is reason to sue for wrongful termination.
Pregnancy wrongful termination and discrimination
The Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) was amended to Title VII in 1978. Forty years have passed, and we still see cases of employers discriminating against women who are pregnant. Being a woman in our society inherently sets one back. Acts like PDA try to prevent this and somewhat level the playing field, yet employers continue to discriminate against and withhold right from women employees. Consequences can be dire. A woman’s self worth can diminish when she is unable to receive the same employment benefits as her male counterpart, or denied time to take off for childbirth and pregnancy. It also creates a culture in which women are less competitive in the job market, where climbing the ladder to success is much harder and less likely. The PDA included discrimination against pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions under the umbrella of sex discrimination. If your employer has discriminated against you or terminated you in response to being pregnant, having a child, or dealing with related medical conditions, you must push back by pursuing a lawsuit against them. It’s time for this hackneyed idea that women are less to be completely abolished. A pregnancy discrimination or wrongful termination lawsuit can help carry the quest to gender equality in the workplace.
Age wrongful termination and discrimination
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) prohibits employment practices that discriminated against those that are 40 or older. If you are 40 or older and work at a company with 20 or more employees, then you are protected under this law. Employers cannot fire you or impose any kind of unlawful employment practices on you based on the fact that you are 40 or older. If you have been wrongfully terminated because of your age, it’s time to speak with one of our age discrimination and wrongful termination employees to fight back against ageist employers. Age is just a number, let’s prove that it has no affect on your qualifications and ability to do your job well. No matter how old you are, you deserve to exercise the same rights as anyone else.
Disability wrongful termination and discrimination
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is another anti-discrimination law that prohibits employment discrimination based on someone’s disability. The negative social stigmas of a mental or physical disability are toxic and hurtful. While the act does it’s best to provide equality to all employees, employers still may practice unlawful acts that affect those that are disabled. If you are disabled, you are entitled to just the same job opportunities as other employees, and if your employer has violated your rights in any way based on this act, then you need to sue. You should also know that you under the ADA, you may qualify for reasonable accommodation, which your employer is obligated to provide as long as it does not cause undue hardship to them. If you’ve been discriminated in the sense that they have refused to provide reasonable accommodation, one of our disability discrimination attorneys would like to meet with you to get started in filing a lawsuit against your employer. Your rights are important, and your employer cannot take those away from you without facing the consequences.
Job termination lawsuits
There are also California laws that protect you from discrimination or wrongful termination. The Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) prohibits employment discrimination based on a protected category. The protected categories under the FEHA are much more extensive than Title VII, and include race and color, ancestry and national origin, religion or creed, age (over 40), mental and physical disability, sex and gender, sexual orientation, gender identification, genetic information, marital status, and military or veteran status. So an employer cannot fire you solely based on the fact that you identity under any of these categories. The FEHA covers anyone who works at a company with 5 or more employees, so it is very likely that you are covered. Keep in mind, it was mentioned earlier that it is illegal for your employer to retaliate against any discrimination claims. The same goes for the FEHA. If you have filed charges against your employer for violating your rights under this law and they have responded by firing you, then you have a wrongful termination case and need to let your employers know you have the right to file charges without sacrificing your job.
Federal law puts a cap on how much you can recover from wrongful termination lawsuits. The amount of compensatory damages you may be eligible to receive if you win your case depends on the size of your company. For companies with 15-100 employees, the most you can receive is $50,000; for companies with 101-200, the maximum damages claimed is $100,000; for companies with 201-500 employees the maximum is $200,000; and for large companies with 500 or more employees, the maximum payout you may receive is $300,000.
Free Consultation and Zero-Fee Guarantee
Even though we’ve all heard to saying “life isn’t fair,” that does not give anyone an excuse to go out of their way to make things unfair or to not do what they can to make things as fair as they are capable of. This phrase is almost misleading because it’s a scapegoat for people to act illegally and may condone complicity in unlawful situations. Do not let this phrase get to you. As an employee you have rights, let our wrongful termination and discrimination attorneys help you regain those rights. Come in to our office for a free consultation, or give us a call to schedule one. We want to hear your side of the story. One of our talented attorneys will listen to your case and if we decided to take on your case, we will do so free of charge. Our firm has a zero-fee guarantee which will free you from any kind of financial burden. We will only charge you a small fee if your case is won. You should not have to worry about finances when you have already lost your job illegally and are facing the hardships that come along with this. It’s time to put equality at the forefront of your job.
