Both Illinois and the federal government have passed laws that prohibiting discrimination on the basis of certain protected characteristics. In Lake County, 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?

An employer will be found guilty of employment discrimination if they treat an employee unfairly because they belong to a class that is legally protected. Employers may not base their evaluations of you on certain traits including religion, race, age, gender, national origin, and familial status. Plaintiffs in Lake County, Illinois are required to prove that their employer treated them unfairly due to their protected status in order to succeed on an employment discrimination claim.

How can Employment Discrimination be Proven in Illinois?

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. Furthermore, 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 Lake County, Illinois lawyer can help you file in a timely manner, and while your case is pending, they can assist you in pursuing any available remedies.