Laws have been passed under both Mississippi and federal governments which prohibit discriminating on the basis of defined protected characteristics. Depending on what type of trait prompted the discriminatory treatment, government employers and even private organizations in Hattiesburg can be held liable under various state and federal laws.

How Does Employment Discrimination Occur?

Employment discrimination occurs if an employer treats you wrongly because of your membership in a legally protected category. Race, gender, religion, familial status and national origin are examples of some traits that employers may not use when evaluating you. In order for a claim of employment discrimination to be proven, a Hattiesburg, Mississippi 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 Mississippi?

This is demonstrated 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 hold to be biased. Additionally, employers are in clear violation of the law when they fire someone or retaliate against them because they filed a discrimination lawsuit.

Procedures for pursuing an employment discrimination claim are complicated, because they involve filing the claim with the corresponding agency. Hattiesburg, Mississippi has many lawyers available to assist 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.