Both Georgia and the federal government have passed laws that prohibiting discrimination on the basis of certain protected characteristics. Employers in the city of Clarkston, whether public or private, can be held liable under federal and state laws depending on the type of trait first 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 Clarkston, Georgia 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 Georgia?

This is shown upon finding a prior history of similar treatment of members of the same class, or upon testimony regarding the employer's statements that a reasonable person would understand to be 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. A Clarkston, Georgia lawyer can help you file in a timely manner, and while your case is pending, they can help you in pursuing any available remedies.