Employment discrimination laws exist to protect employees from discriminatory employment practices. Employers should treat their employees and job candidates in job interviews equally and fairly, independent of any irrelevant factors. Thus, anti-discrimination laws establish a list of protected classes that employees cannot be discriminated against for.

Workplace discrimination can be direct or indirect. In some cases, where a company may not intend to discriminate against an individual, the practice may have unintended discriminatory effects. Therefore, if an individual believes they have experienced discrimination at work, they should seek the advice of an employment discrimination lawyer. An employment discrimination attorney is knowledgeable about employment discrimination laws that exist to protect workers. Thus, they can assist employees with discrimination claims. However, it is critical to hire an employment discrimination lawyer because not all unfair practices are discriminatory.

Discrimination Based on Age

Federal and state laws exist to protect older employees from discrimination. For instance, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act forbids employers from discriminating against employees aged 40 years and above. Employees over 40 years receive protection in different aspects. For example, employers cannot discriminate against older employees while hiring or dismissing employees. The ADEA Act also states that an employer may not give different compensation terms to employees based on their age. As a result, anyone who believes that an employer has discriminated against an employee based on age should seek the advice of an employment discrimination lawyer. The attorney can structure a legal claim based on the facts of the case and the legal stipulations prohibiting age discrimination.

Discrimination Based on Race, Color, and National Identity

The law forbids employers from engaging in racist practices. Titles VI and VII from the Civil Rights Act prohibit an employer from distinguishing employees or job applicants based on their skin color, race, or national identity. Therefore, the hiring, dismissing, and promotion process must not consider an employee's race. Instead, employees should be hired, promoted, or let go based on their skills, qualifications, and performance. Furthermore, an employer cannot advertise for a job vacancy with race as a requirement. Any individual that feels aggrieved should consult an experienced employment discrimination attorney to file a strong discrimination claim.

Discrimination Based on Gender or Sex

Federal and state laws recognize gender and sex as protected classes against discrimination. All employment aspects like hiring, firing, and promoting employees must be based on an objective criterion that does not include the applicant's gender or sex. An aggrieved employee should contact an employment discrimination lawyer. An attorney can craft a strong claim based on the case on behalf of a complaint.