Laws have been passed under both Ohio and federal governments which prohibit discriminating on the basis of defined protected characteristics. In St. Clairsville, 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?

Employment discrimination occurs if an employer treats you wrongly because of your membership in a legally protected category. Employers may not base their evaluations of you on specific traits including religion, race, age, gender, national origin, and familial status. In order for a claim of employment discrimination to be proven, a St. Clairsville, Ohio 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 Ohio?

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 St. Clairsville, Ohio can assist you in filing on time, as well as pursuing other remedies that are available to you while your claim is pending.