Both Iowa and the federal government have passed laws that prohibiting discrimination on the basis of specific protected characteristics. In Waterloo, government and private organizations can be held liable for discrimination, depending on what type of trait the unfair treatment was initially based on.

How Does Employment Discrimination Occur?

Employment discrimination occurs when an employer treats you wrongly because of your membership in a legally protected class. Race, gender, religion, familial status and national origin are examples of some traits that employers can not use when evaluating you. In order for a claim of employment discrimination to be successful, a Waterloo, Iowa 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 Iowa?

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. Moreover, an employer violates the law if they terminate a person's employment or otherwise retaliate in response to a discrimination lawsuit filed against them.

Procedures for filing an employment discrimination claim are complicated, because they involve filing the claim with the corresponding agency. Waterloo, Iowa has many lawyers available to help you in filing in a timely fashion, and they can also help you pursue any remedies that might be available to you while your case is being processed.