Both Iowa and the federal government have passed laws that prohibiting discrimination on the basis of particular protected characteristics. In Red Oak, government and private organizations may be held liable for discrimination, depending on what type of trait the unfair treatment was originally based on.

How Does Employment Discrimination Occur?

Employment discrimination occurs if an employer treats you wrongly because of your membership in a legally protected category. Traits that employers may not use to evaluate you include race, national origin, gender, religion 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 Red Oak, Iowa.

How can Employment Discrimination be Proven in Iowa?

This can be shown if the employer has a history of mistreating people of the same status, or if individuals testify regarding the employer's specific statements that a reasonable person would conclude are biased. Additionally, employers may be held liable for firing someone or retaliating against them because they brought a discrimination lawsuit.

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