The Federal government as well as the state of Washington 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 Des Moines 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 are prohibited from using certain 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 successful, a Des Moines, Washington 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 Washington?

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 may be held liable for firing someone or retaliating against them because they brought a discrimination lawsuit.

Procedures for filing an employment discrimination claim are complicated, because they involve filing the claim with the corresponding agency. A Des Moines, Washington lawyer can help you file in a timely manner, and while your case is pending, they can help you in pursuing any available remedies.