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 Maple Valley 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 Maple Valley, 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 who fire someone or retaliate against them for bringing a discrimination lawsuit are clearly in violation of the law.

The procedure for pursuing an employment discrimination claim is complicated, since it involves filing a claim with certain agencies. Maple Valley, 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.