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

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