The Federal government as well as the state of Vermont have enacted laws which make it illegal to discriminate based on defined protected characteristics. Depending on what type of trait prompted the discriminatory treatment, government employers and even private organizations in South Burlington may be held liable under various state and federal laws.

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 specific traits including religion, race, age, gender, national origin, and familial status. In order for a claim of employment discrimination to be successful, a South Burlington, Vermont 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 Vermont?

This can be proved when there is a history of the employer treating members of the class similarly, or if witnesses testify about the employer's statements which would constitute bias as understood by a reasonable person. Furthermore, employers who fire someone or retaliate against them for bringing a discrimination lawsuit are clearly in violation of the law.

The procedure for pursuing an employment discrimination claim is complicated, since it involves filing a claim with particular agencies. An attorney in South Burlington, Vermont can help you in filing on time, as well as pursuing other remedies that are available to you while your claim is pending.