Both Colorado and the federal government have passed laws that prohibiting discrimination on the basis of certain protected characteristics. Under state and Federal law, both private and public employers in Boulder County can be found liable for discrimination, depending on what type of trait originally prompted the discrimination.

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 Boulder County, Colorado 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 Colorado?

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 specific agencies. Boulder County, Colorado 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.