The Federal government as well as the state of Washington 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 Lynden 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 are prohibited from using particular traits to evaluate you such as national origin, religion, race, age, familial status, or gender. To prove employment discrimination in Lynden, Washington, the plaintiff needs to be able to show that the employer's intent to treat them unfairly was motivated by their protected status.

How can Employment Discrimination be Proven in Washington?

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, 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. Lynden, Washington 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.