The Federal government as well as the state of Vermont have enacted laws which make it illegal to discriminate based on specified protected characteristics. Depending on what type of trait prompted the discriminatory treatment, government employers and even private organizations in Rutland can be held liable under various state and federal laws.

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 particular traits including religion, race, age, gender, national origin, and familial status. In order for a claim of employment discrimination to be proven, a Rutland, Vermont 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 Vermont?

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 are in clear violation of the law when they fire someone or retaliate against them because they filed a discrimination lawsuit.

Pursuing an employment discrimination claim can often be complicated, because they involve filing your claim with particular agencies. An attorney in Rutland, Vermont can assist you in filing on time, as well as pursuing other remedies that are available to you while your claim is pending.