Both California and the federal government have passed laws that prohibiting discrimination on the basis of certain protected characteristics. Under state and Federal law, both private and public employers in Orinda can be found liable for discrimination, depending on what type of trait originally prompted the discrimination.

How Does Employment Discrimination Occur?

Employment discrimination occurs when an employer treats you wrongly because of your membership in a legally protected class. Employers can not base their evaluations of you on certain traits including religion, race, age, gender, national origin, and familial status. In order for a claim of employment discrimination to be successful, an Orinda, California plaintiff must show that his (or her) employer actively intended to treat him differently because of his protected status.

How can Employment Discrimination be Proven in California?

This can be shown if the employer has a history of mistreating people of the same status, or if individuals testify regarding the employer's particular statements that a reasonable person would conclude are biased. Furthermore, employers who fire someone or retaliate against them for bringing a discrimination lawsuit are clearly in violation of the law.

Pursuing an employment discrimination claim can often be complicated, because they involve filing your claim with certain agencies. An Orinda, California attorney can help you file on time, as well as pursue any further remedies that may be available to you while your case is pending.