The Federal government as well as the state of West Virginia have enacted laws which make it illegal to discriminate based on defined protected characteristics. Government and private employers in Huntington can be held liable under state and federal law depending on what kind of trait the discriminatory treatment was based upon.

How Does Employment Discrimination Occur?

Employment discrimination occurs when an employer treats you unfairly because you belong to a legally protected category. Race, gender, religion, familial status and national origin are examples of some traits that employers can not use when evaluating you. Plaintiffs in Huntington, West Virginia 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 West Virginia?

This can be shown if the employer has a history of mistreating people of the same status, or if individuals testify regarding the employer's particular statements that a reasonable person would conclude are biased. Moreover, employers may be held liable for firing someone or retaliating against them because they brought a discrimination lawsuit.

Procedures for filing an employment discrimination claim are complicated, because they involve filing the claim with the corresponding agency. An attorney in Huntington, West Virginia can help you in filing on time, as well as pursuing other remedies that are available to you while your claim is pending.