Discrimination Under West Virginia Law
The Federal government as well as the state of West Virginia have enacted laws which make it illegal to discriminate based on specified protected characteristics. Government and private employers in Martinsburg may be held liable under state and federal law depending on what kind of trait the discriminatory treatment was based upon.
How Does Employment Discrimination Occur?
Employment discrimination is when an employer treats you unfairly because you belong to a legally protected class. Employers may not base their evaluations of you on certain traits including religion, race, age, gender, national origin, and familial status. The plaintiff must prove that their employer intended to treat them unfairly because of their protected status in order to prevail on a discrimination claim in Martinsburg, West Virginia.
How can Employment Discrimination be Proven in West Virginia?
This may be demonstrated if the employer has treated others of the same status similarly, or when people testify to specific statements made by the employer that would indicate bias when heard by a reasonable person. Additionally, employers are in clear violation of the law when they fire someone or retaliate against them because they filed a discrimination lawsuit.
Pursuing an employment discrimination claim can often be complicated, because they involve filing your claim with certain agencies. An Martinsburg, West Virginia attorney can help you file on time, as well as pursue any additional remedies that may be available to you while your case is pending.
