Specific characteristics are protected against discrimination under both and federal laws in Lexington and other communities of Tennessee. Under state and Federal law, both private and public employers in Lexington may be found liable for discrimination, depending on what type of trait originally prompted the discrimination.

How Does Employment Discrimination Occur?

Employment discrimination is when an employer treats you unfairly because you belong to a legally protected class. Some traits which employers are not allowed to evaluate employees with are: race, age, national origin, religion, familial status, and 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 Lexington, Tennessee.

How can Employment Discrimination be Proven in Tennessee?

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. Moreover, an employer who fires someone or otherwise retaliates because of a discrimination lawsuit is in clear violation of the law.

Procedures for pursuing an employment discrimination claim are complicated, because they involve filing the claim with the corresponding agency. A Lexington, Tennessee lawyer can help you file in a timely manner, and while your case is pending, they can assist you in pursuing any available remedies.