If you’ve faced unfair treatment or harassment at work, you may be considering taking legal action against the responsible party. A workplace discrimination lawyer in San Jose can support you throughout this process.
At Omega Law Group Accident & Injury Attorneys, we help clients across California with a wide range of workplace complaints and lawsuits. Our San Jose employment lawyers work hard to investigate every case and develop a solid strategy designed to get you the best results.
Let our family take care of you and your family by speaking to our legal team about your options. We’ll take a personalized approach to your situation, offering clear and knowledgeable guidance every step of the way.
Types of Workplace Discrimination Cases We Handle
Many different workplace discrimination cases have come our way over the years. Some of the most common types we’ve seen include:
- Sex and gender discrimination
- Race discrimination
- Ethnicity discrimination
- Ancestry or national origin discrimination
- Pregnancy discrimination
- Age discrimination
- Disability discrimination
- Marital status discrimination
- Sexual orientation discrimination
Our workplace discrimination lawyers in San Jose have helped clients overcome a range of legal hurdles associated with mistreatment and harassment. We use our extensive knowledge and experience to identify rights violations and defend your case.
How California Employment Law Addresses Discrimination
Employment discrimination laws are enforced by California’s Civil Rights Department (CRD). Under these laws, it is illegal to discriminate against an employee or job applicant due to their age, race, gender, marital status, disability, religion, or other protected characteristic.
This rule mainly applies to companies with five or more employees. However, harassment is prohibited in every workplace, regardless of size.
If you are found to be a victim of discrimination or harassment in the workplace, you may be able to recover damages, such as back pay, front pay, out-of-pocket expenses, and legal fees. You may also be able to seek role reinstatement, a promotion, reasonable accommodations, and policy changes.
What Should You Do When Faced with Workplace Discrimination?
Because workplace discrimination can be subtle and hard to identify, reporting it isn’t always easy. But if you spot any warning signs that it might be happening to you, here are some things you can do to protect yourself:
Familiarize Yourself with What Discrimination Looks Like
Workplace discrimination can take many forms. Knowing what signals to look out for will help you when it comes to determining whether or not to report the incident. Common examples include:
- Unfair dismissal
- Unequal pay
- Being denied a promotion
- Receiving unfair disciplinary action
- Being denied a pay rise
- Being excluded from job opportunities
- Offensive comments
There are many more examples of workplace discrimination, and each one can be demoralizing. But knowing how to identify the problem early will help you in the long run.
Document Everything
When the discrimination begins, keep a record of each incident. This could include an off-handed comment thrown your way or an unfair performance review. Note down the time and date, as well as any important details such as who was involved and what happened.
Preserve Relevant Evidence
Workplace communications can help to paint a clear picture of the mistreatment you’ve suffered. Do your best to save emails, text messages, performance reviews, or any other documentation that could help your claim. If your workplace has CCTV footage, try to get a copy of the incident before it is automatically overwritten and speak to witnesses to get their version of events.
Review Company Policies
Every workplace should have its own employee handbook and company policies outlining how to approach discrimination. Read through these documents to fully understand what the reporting procedure is and how the complaints process works.
Report the Incident
Once you know what your company policy is, you should follow this procedure to report the incident internally. Try to submit both a verbal and written complaint to the appropriate authority, such as your supervisor or HR team. If you feel unsafe or uncomfortable reporting internally, seek legal guidance to learn more about your alternatives.
Track What Happens Next
After your first complaint, pay attention to any actions that follow. It could be that your complaint resolves the issue and you decide to move on. However, if your employer retaliates based on your complaint, you should keep a record of this and consider taking things a step further.
Hire a San Jose Workplace Discrimination Lawyer
You can get legal support at any point during this process. An attorney will explain your options and help you decide what your next steps should be. We know what your rights are and can work with you to protect them. All you have to do is get in touch.
How a San Jose Workplace Discrimination Lawyer Can Help
Dealing with disputes and prejudice at your place of work is a lot to handle, especially when it can impact your livelihood. A workplace discrimination lawyer in San Jose can ease the burden for you and make sure your claim is managed correctly.
At Omega Law Group, we’ll conduct a thorough investigation into your discrimination case, negotiate with your employer, provide effective legal guidance, and develop a compelling strategy aimed at securing a successful outcome.
Schedule a free consultation to speak to a member of our team today. We’ll explain your options and help you understand how to prove workplace discrimination.