Both Hawaii and the federal government have passed laws that prohibiting discrimination on the basis of specific protected characteristics. Employers in the city of Kaneohe, whether public or private, may be held liable under federal and state laws depending on the type of trait first prompted the discrimination.

How Does Employment Discrimination Occur?

An employer will be found guilty of employment discrimination if they treat an employee unfairly because they belong to a class that is legally protected. Employers are prohibited from using specific traits to evaluate you such as national origin, religion, race, age, familial status, or gender. In order for a claim of employment discrimination to be proven, a Kaneohe, Hawaii 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 Hawaii?

This is demonstrated upon finding a prior history of similar treatment of members of the same class, or upon testimony regarding the employer's statements that a reasonable person would hold to be biased. Additionally, employers are in clear violation of the law when they fire someone or retaliate against them because they filed a discrimination lawsuit.

Procedures for pursuing an employment discrimination claim are complicated, because they involve filing the claim with the corresponding agency. An attorney in Kaneohe, Hawaii can assist you in filing on time, as well as pursuing other remedies that are available to you while your claim is pending.