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 Merrick, 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. Employers are prohibited from using specific traits to evaluate you such as national origin, religion, race, age, familial status, or gender. 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 Merrick, New York.

How can Employment Discrimination be Proven in New York?

This may be demonstrated if the employer has treated others of the same status similarly, or when people testify to particular statements made by the employer that would indicate bias when heard 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.

Employment discrimination claims have complicated filing procedures, because they involve pursuing the claim with specific agencies. Merrick, New York 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.