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

How Does Employment Discrimination Occur?

Employment discrimination occurs when an employer treats you unfairly because you belong to a legally protected category. Some traits which employers are not allowed to evaluate employees with include: race, age, national origin, religion, familial status, and gender. Plaintiffs in Rutherford County, Tennessee are required to show that their employer treated them unfairly due to their protected status in order to prevail on an employment discrimination claim.

How can Employment Discrimination be Proven in Tennessee?

This can 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. Furthermore, employers may be held liable for firing someone or retaliating against them because they brought a discrimination lawsuit.

The procedure for pursuing an employment discrimination claim is complicated, since it involves filing a claim with specific agencies. An attorney in Rutherford County, Tennessee can help you in filing on time, as well as pursuing other remedies that are available to you while your claim is pending.