Federal Discrimination Attorneys Helping You Fight Back Against Workplace Discrimination
Last updated on May 8, 2024
Unlawful discrimination, harassment and retaliation can have a serious impact on federal employees. Our federal discrimination attorneys have experience prosecuting complaints before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission under various statutes, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act of 2008, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Equal Pay Act, the Civil Rights Act of 1991, the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995, the No FEAR Act of 2002 and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008.
These federal employment laws generally prevent certain forms of discrimination, harassment and retaliation with respect to the terms, privileges and conditions of employment. For instance, if you faced a personnel action, including denial of employment, reassignment, nonselection, discipline, termination or hostile work environment and it was due to unlawful discrimination or retaliation, then you may very well have an actionable claim.
Further, unlike the Merit Systems Protection Board, the commission’s jurisdiction extends to almost all federal employees and agencies.
How Can Southworth PC Help With Your Federal Employment Discrimination Case?
If you believe you have been facing unlawful discrimination, harassment or retaliation, please feel free to contact our federal EEO attorneys for a free consultation. We will be happy to evaluate your case and see if it is one we would be able to help you with. We will see if we can represent you in light of the remedial or the whole nature of the statutes and the nature of your case.
Although we prefer to represent employees from the beginning of the complaint process, in many cases, we accept cases with employees who have already begun the process. Our representation is usually best if we can represent federal employees or former federal employees at all stages of the process, including pre-complaint counseling, the formal complaints process, the investigation of complaints, settlement of complaints, EEO hearings and any resulting awards, including obtaining actual damages, liquidated damages, compensatory damages, declaratory relief, injunctive relief, equitable relief, attorneys fees and any other relief available under the law.
What Are The Most Common Types Of Federal Employment Discrimination?
The most common types of federal employment discrimination involve retaliation, disability and race. Retaliation occurs when an employee faces adverse consequences for legally protected activities, such as reporting discrimination against themselves or a coworker. Disability discrimination happens when employers do not fairly accommodate employees with disabilities or unfairly treat them due to their medical conditions. Race discrimination includes unfavorable treatment based on an individual’s race or characteristics associated with race. Employees who believe they’ve encountered this type of discrimination may have grounds to file a complaint. Other types of discrimination can include national origin, sexual orientation, racial discrimination and religious discrimination.
How Can You Prove Discrimination In The Workplace?
Proving discrimination at a federal agency typically involves gathering evidence that shows an employee was treated unfavorably because of a protected characteristic, such as race, age, gender or disability. This can include:
- Direct evidence: Explicit statements or actions that clearly indicate discriminatory intent.
- Circumstantial evidence: Patterns of behavior or decisions that suggest a bias, such as consistently promoting only certain types of individuals.
- Comparative evidence: Comparing the treatment of similarly situated employees in the same workplace.
- Policies and practices: Reviewing company policies that may inadvertently lead to discriminatory outcomes.
- Documentation: Keeping records of any discriminatory actions, including emails, memos or performance reviews.
- Witness testimony: Statements from colleagues or others who observed the discrimination.
It’s also crucial to demonstrate that the discrimination had a negative impact, such as job loss, demotion or denial of benefits. Legal counsel can help navigate the complexities of proving discrimination in the workplace and help you with your discrimination complaint.
Common Examples Of Damages You Can Receive In A Successful Federal Employment Discrimination Claim
In a successful federal employment discrimination claim, a victim might receive back pay and front pay, which cover lost wages and future earnings that were affected by the discriminatory act. For instance, if someone was wrongfully terminated by the federal government, they might get compensation for the income they missed and what they would have made had they remained employed. Job reinstatement is another potential outcome, where the victim gets their old job back or a similar position.
When it comes to damages for emotional distress, these are designed to address the psychological impact of discrimination, such as anxiety or humiliation. In severe cases of intentional discrimination, punitive damages could be awarded to punish the employer and deter future misconduct. These are often combined with other forms of legal relief, like changes to the employer’s policies to prevent further discrimination. However, these awards have caps based on the employer’s size, and in the case of age or sex discrimination, liquidated damages might apply, doubling the back pay without additional compensatory or punitive damages.
Contact Us To Learn More In A Free Consultation
The ability to obtain certain relief depends upon the facts of your case. If you’re interested in speaking with one of our federal employment attorneys, call our Atlanta office at 888-899-7284 or send us an email today.