Both Iowa and the federal government have passed laws that prohibiting discrimination on the basis of certain protected characteristics. Employers in the city of Estherville, 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 can occur if the employer treats an employee unfairly based on their membership in a category that is legally protected. Some traits which employers are not allowed to evaluate employees with include: race, age, national origin, religion, familial status, and gender. In order for a claim of employment discrimination to be successful, an Estherville, Iowa 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 Iowa?

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 are in clear violation of the law when they fire someone or retaliate against them because they filed a discrimination lawsuit.

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