Even after the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, racial discrimination remains prevalent, especially at workplaces. According to Title VII of the act, it is unlawful to discriminate against a worker based on their race when administering work-related processes. These include hiring, disciplining, firing, training, distributing benefits, promoting, among others.
A few examples of racial discrimination cases include:
- An employer doesn’t hire you for a job because of your race despite having the required experience and excellent references
- Someone with less experience or seniority gets promoted to a position you deserve because they are from the dominant group
- You have worked with a company for many years, but you earn less than employees of a particular race who recently joined the company
- Co-workers or managers harass you or call you names or say insulting statements about your race
- Sexual harassment by colleagues when you are from a minority race
Have you experienced unfair treatment because of your color? We are an Atlanta law firm proficient in fighting racial discrimination in Georgia.
Importance of Hiring a Discrimination Attorney
It’s unlawful under state and federal law to subject an employee to a hostile work environment because of their race. However, it’s challenging to substantiate discrimination claims if the employer has reasons for their decisions—even if you believe they discriminated against you.
Under the Georgia Fair Employment Practices Act, racial discrimination at work is illegal. However, the law only applies to public employers with 15 or more employees.
Experienced discrimination lawyers can prove a discrimination case by identifying patterns of racial discrimination at your workplace. It’s in your best interest to consult an experienced attorney if you feel unfairly treated because of race.
Your attorney will begin by assessing your circumstances to determine if your employer committed race discrimination. The lawyer will weigh the strengths of your case, chart a course forward, and estimate the punitive damages or monetary compensation.
What an Employment Discrimination Lawyer Can Do
To build a strong case, your attorney must understand the provisions of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The EEOC is a federal agency that outlaws job discrimination by color, race, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, and genetic information. Under the law, your employer cannot treat you unfavorably for complaining about discrimination, filing a charge, or taking part in an employment discrimination lawsuit or investigation.
In case your employer violates any of these conditions, your discrimination attorney can do the following:
- Under oath, interview your hiring manager, employer, supervisor, coworkers, and other people to gather information and evidence
- Examine the hiring records and practices of your employer to pinpoint patterns of racial discrimination
- Use your employment records to prove that your employer’s actions were unjustifiable
- Establishing race discrimination requires direct or circumstantial evidence that your lawyer can collect through the discovery process of investigation
Upon gathering enough evidence, your lawyer can negotiate a settlement with your employer instead of proceeding to a trial. Otherwise, the attorney will cross-examine the respondent’s defense and present evidence and witnesses to support your claims.
Top-Rated Discrimination Attorneys in Atlanta, Georgia
At HKM Employment Attorneys, we dedicate ourselves to upholding the EEOC laws that prohibit employment discrimination based on race. If your employer disadvantages you for being of a particular race, we can protect your rights under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. We will gather evidence exhaustively, seek compensation, or proceed to litigation if necessary. Let our employment lawyers guide the way through your discrimination claim.
Call 404-301-4022or fill out this form and we will get back to you ASAP.