Laws have been passed under both New York and federal governments which prohibit discriminating on the basis of defined protected characteristics. Employers in the city of Freeport, whether public or private, may 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 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. To prove employment discrimination in Freeport, New York, the plaintiff needs to be able to show that the employer's intent to treat them unfairly was motivated by their protected status.

How can Employment Discrimination be Proven in New York?

This may 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. Additionally, 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 particular agencies. An attorney in Freeport, New York can assist you in filing on time, as well as pursuing other remedies that are available to you while your claim is pending.