Des Moines Racial Discrimination Lawyers
Due to lawsuits and federal law, discrimination based on race is rarely overt in today’s workplace. However, employers may still engage in discrimination through unstated policies in who they hire, who they fire and who they promote. If your employer has engaged in a pattern of discriminatory behavior, has denied you a promotion for which you are eligible, or fired you, you may have grounds for a lawsuit. At Roxanne Conlin & Associates, P.C., our Des Moines racial discrimination attorneys can help you seek damages in civil court.
What are some examples of racial discrimination?
Racial discrimination is illegal in the modern American workplace, but it still happens. Those who are facing discrimination need to know what steps they can take, and that process starts with identifying the discriminatory behavior. Some potential examples include:
- Bias in hiring: If the hiring manager refuses to hire someone based on their race, it’s a clear example of discrimination.
- Unequal treatments: Even workers who are hired sometimes face unequal treatment, such as being forced to follow a dress code that doesn’t apply to other workers.
- Discriminatory layoffs: Some companies will try to use layoffs to disguise discrimination. If there’s a pattern where workers from one ethnic background all get laid off, the discrimination becomes clear.
- Microaggressions: Some discrimination is rather indirect, such as microaggressions, which are minor events or comments that reinforce existing racial stereotypes.
- Lack of advancement: When employees are denied promotions or raises because of their racial or ethnic background, that is discriminatory behavior.
Discrimination may not be as overt or obvious as it was for previous generations, but that doesn’t mean discrimination has ended. It still happens, and employees must work with a workplace discrimination lawyer to know their legal options.
Damages That Can Be Recovered Through A Racial Discrimination Lawsuit
An experienced employment discrimination attorney can help you determine exactly what damages you can recover if you have a racial discrimination case. Each case is unique.
Often, those damages start with lost wages, such as back pay or front pay. Damages could also include benefits that were lost, such as a worker who was illegally fired and lost their health insurance or vacation benefits.
In some instances, the worker could even be reinstated to their position if they lost their job – although not all workers are interested in getting the job back. Finally, workers may be entitled to punitive damages, which are used to punish the company for egregious violations of civil rights protections. If you need an experienced racial discrimination attorney, call 515-283-1111 now.
Do I Have a Case?
Most discrimination in the workplace occurs subtly. Employers may try to cover their actions by offering an interview to a minority, then asking him or her specific, technical questions and later claiming that the person was not qualified for the open position.
If a pattern emerges where those who are hired or promoted are consistently from a certain ethnic or racial group, discrimination may have occurred. Affirmative action programs are consistent with civil rights legislation. However, racial quotas are not.
Establishing Evidence of Discrimination
Stating that a company is an equal opportunity employer is easy enough. However, actions speak louder than words. At Roxanne Conlin & Associates, P.C., our lawyers will investigate the decision-making processes of managers and supervisors. Has the company promoted other minorities? Have they punished racially insensitive behavior? Have supervisors or managers made inappropriate comments or racial jokes in the workplace? Have they created a hostile environment?
All of the above paint a picture of unspoken attitudes that are important for establishing the existence of racial discrimination. When we get a hiring manager or a supervisor on the stand, we will ask the hard questions about the lack of diversity, inconsistencies between an employee’s evaluations, and the lack of promotions or discharge, as well as why racially charged comments were not disciplined. We will use all of our civil litigation skills to hold employers accountable for illegal acts.
Call for a Consultation With a Des Moines Discrimination Attorney
We understand how to investigate and expose racial discrimination in the workplace. If you are unsure whether you have a case or do not know what you should do, we can help. Contact our Des Moines employment discrimination lawyers online.