Discrimination at Work? The EEOC Protects You | Employee Rights
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- Discrimination at Work? The EEOC Protects You | Employee Rights
The Civil Rights Act protects employees from discrimination in the workplace. Title VII of this act prohibits employers from harassing employees or making decisions based on a persons race, religion, gender, age, ethnicity, or other protected class.
The federal governments Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) investigates and prosecutes violations of the Civil Rights Act in the workplace. If you have been discriminated against at work, you may be able to file a claim with the EEOC. If your claim is not resolved by the EEOC, an experienced employment discrimination attorney can help you resolve your claim.
Types of Discrimination Investigated by the EEOC
Most employers are subject to the rules of the EEOC, though this varies based on the type of company and the type of alleged discrimination. For private employers, the EEOC enforces prohibitions against discrimination if the company has at least 15 employees, or 20 employees if the complaint is based on age discrimination.
If a company is covered by the EEOCs rules, then discriminatory or retaliatory behavior based on the following types of protected characteristics is illegal:
- Sex
- Race
- Age
- Disability
- Sexual Harassment
- Pregnancy
- National Origin
- Religion
- Genetic Information
Nearly every aspect of daily work situations are covered by the EEOCs protections. Most commonly, people find discriminatory behavior in situations such as unfair wages, illegal harassment, and discriminatory hiring, firing, and promotion procedures.
What to Do If You Experience Discrimination
If you suspect that you are being discriminated against, you should first take your concerns to your human resources department, or use your company’s internal complaint procedures. Check your company’s handbook or employment manual and follow your company’s procedures before you take your concerns to the EEOC. Both the EEOC and most state courts will require you to utilize your company’s internal procedures prior to filing a lawsuit or EEOC complaint.
If your company refuses to address your concerns, you may file an administrative charge with the EEOC. Your local EEOC office will begin its investigation, and will notify your employer of its investigation. Your employer is prohibited from retaliating against you for filing an EEOC claim.
Your EEOC office will then either dismiss your claim, request that you and your employer go to mediation to try and settle your claim, or file a lawsuit on your behalf. Usually, your EEOC office will process your claim and issue you a right-to-sue letter. Once you have received this letter, you will be able to file a lawsuit against your employer for discrimination.
Protecting Employee Rights
Filing a lawsuit in state court is often the last step in getting justice after you have been treated unfairly at work. If you have been harassed, taken advantage of, or discriminated against based on your race, gender, age, or other protected characteristic, an experienced employment attorney can help you protect your rights.
Phillips Law Groupbelieves that every member of the workforce in Arizona, Utah, and California is entitled to the protection of their rights. If you or a loved one believes that any kind of discrimination is taking place, you can contact an employee rights lawyer to assess your legal options.
Free consultation by phone: 1-800-706-3000 . No fees to start your case. No fees unless we win your case.
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Phillips Law Group provides a collaborative environment in which both attorneys and staff work together to achieve the best outcome for clients. As an attorney here at PLG, I’m lucky to be surrounded by seasoned attorneys and knowledgeable staff that share my enthusiasm for helping accident victims. The team here at PLG treats clients with respect and empathy while fighting hard to get the results they deserve.
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Liz Gonzales was great!!!!
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Phillips law group has an amazing staff and i recommend them to everyone.
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Great company and awesome service. Thanks Caroline fabos. Kudos to all.
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My paralegal , Caroline , was on top of her game - very responsive and always answered any questions I had and in a timely manner . My attorney Rob ,was the best attorney I ever had . He explained everything in great detail and had a great sense or humor . He really knows how to bring light To tough , unfortunate situations - I would absolutely recommend them at anyone -
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Jeffrey Phillips is truly a brilliant attorney and businessman. I would not hesitate for a moment to contact him if I needed a personal injury attorney in Arizona, you would be fortunate to have him and his team. If you have a car accident, slip and fall in a store, or get punched in the face, call Phillips.
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The lawyers here are of top quality. Especially Trey Dayes, who was always respectful and hard-working.
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They knew exactly how to explain the case to me in a way that I would understand it. They gave me hope that my life wasn’t over.
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If you are in need of legal support for a motor vehicle collision of any kind, I highly recommend going to Phillips Law Group Injury Lawyers. Sean Davis has exemplary knowledge and experience in this field, compassion for his clients, and excellent judgment and communication skills.
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Many companies talk about teamwork but few practice it. Many companies talk about an employee friendly environment but few actually provide it. At Phillips Law Group the foundation of our success is making sure we work as a team and that we work in an environment that allows everyone to thrive and be at their best every day. Our firm understands that in order for the client to have a great experience the people responsible for that client’s case must be given all the necessary tools and encouragement to make that happen. That’s the Phillips Way. As a manager of this firm in charge of several employees as well as directly affecting the client’s experience I take tremendous pride in saying we live by these premises and we work hard to build on them and make them better every day. This is an amazing place because it has amazing people working here!