Employment Discrimination
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission enforces Federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. These laws protect you against employment discrimination when it involves:
- Unfair treatment because of your race, color , religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information .
- Harassment by managers, co-workers, or others in your workplace, because of your race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.
- Denial of a reasonable workplace accommodation that you need because of your religious beliefs or disability.
- Retaliation because you complained about job discrimination, or assisted with a job discrimination investigation or lawsuit.
If you believe that you have been discriminated against at work, you can file a "Charge of Discrimination." All of the laws enforced by EEOC, except for the Equal Pay Act, require you to file a Charge of Discrimination with the EEOC before you can file an employment discrimination lawsuit against your employer in Federal court.
Note: Federal employees and job applicants have similar protections, but a different complaint process.
Not all employers are covered by the laws the EEOC enforce, and not all employees are protected. This can vary depending on the type of employer, the number of employees it has, and the type of discrimination alleged. Also, there are strict time limits for filing a charge that you should be aware of. Because of this, we strongly urge you to contact us to help determine your rights and what action you need to take.
Helpful Links
- U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
- EEOC Laws and Guidance
- Wisconsin's Fair Employment Law
- Wisconsin's Fair Employment Statutes
- Wisconsin Fair Employment Discrimination Complaint Forms (Available in English or Spanish)
- What You Should Know: Questions and Answers About the Equal Pay Act
I've been discriminated against by my employer. I want to hire a lawyer, but I don't have a job. How can I possibly pay you?
We take the majority of our employment discrimination cases on a contingency fee basis; meaning that you don't pay us anything for our services unless you receive a favorable result in your case.