Both Illinois and the federal government have passed laws that prohibiting discrimination on the basis of certain protected characteristics. In Oak Brook, government and private organizations can be held liable for discrimination, depending on what type of trait the unfair treatment was initially based on.

How Does Employment Discrimination Occur?

If an employee is a member of a legally protected class and their employer treats them unfairly because of that, the employer will be held liable for employment discrimination. 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 Oak Brook, Illinois 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 Illinois?

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. Oak Brook, Illinois 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.