Specific characteristics are protected against discrimination under both and federal laws in Westerly and other communities of Rhode Island. Government and private employers in Westerly may be held liable under state and federal law depending on what kind of trait the discriminatory treatment was based upon.

How Does Employment Discrimination Occur?

An employer will be found guilty of employment discrimination if they treat an employee unfairly because they belong to a class that is legally protected. Traits that employers may not use to evaluate you include race, national origin, gender, religion and familial status. Plaintiffs in Westerly, Rhode Island are required to prove that their employer treated them unfairly due to their protected status in order to succeed on an employment discrimination claim.

How can Employment Discrimination be Proven in Rhode Island?

This can be shown if the employer has a history of mistreating people of the same status, or if individuals testify regarding the employer's specific statements that a reasonable person would conclude are biased. Further, an employer violates the law if they terminate a person's employment or otherwise retaliate in response to a discrimination lawsuit filed against them.

Procedures for pursuing an employment discrimination claim are complicated, because they involve filing the claim with the corresponding agency. Westerly, Rhode Island 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.