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Dozier Law Group has extensive experience in
every aspect of employment law, including claims for discrimination
on the job based on race, skin color, sex (gender), pregnancy,
ethnicity, age and disability. Whatever your issue, we can
address your concerns and advise you as to your options and
the best course of action based on your particular situation.
- Discrimination in the Workplace
- Race, Color and Ethnic Background Discrimination
- Gender Discrimination
- Age Discrimination
- Disability Discrimination
- Retaliation
- Family and Medical Leave
Discrimination in the Workplace
Even though federal and state employment laws prohibit employers
from treating employees differently on the job based on certain
protected characteristics, discrimination at work is still
an ongoing problem for many workers. Companies are made up
of individuals, and managers and supervisors often act on
their own negative stereotypes or prejudices in making decisions
that affect employees in terms of discipline, pay, work assignments
and job status. Some of the most common types of job discrimination
occur when employers show bias in hiring, promoting, disciplining
or compensating employees due to characteristics such as race,
gender, ethnicity, age or disability.
Please be advised that to bring a cause of action for unlawful
discrimination, harassment or retaliation in a court of law
you must first file a Charge of Discrimination with the Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”), an
agency of the federal government, within 180 days of the unlawful
action. If you fail to file a timely Charge of Discrimination
with the EEOC, you lose the right to bring such a claim in
state or federal court. Dozier Law Group regularly represents
employees by filing EEOC Charges on their behalf and working
with them to resolve the matter, if possible, through settlement
negotiations with the employer and EEOC personnel prior to
filing a case in a court of law.
The contact information for the Atlanta
office of the EEOC is:
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Atlanta District Office
100 Alabama Street, SW, Suite 4R30
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
(404) 562-6800 or (800) 669-4000
Race, Color or Ethnic Background
Although there have been improvements in terms of race relations
in this country since the passage of Title VII of the Civil
Rights Act of 1964, discrimination in the workplace is still
a reality. Discrimination, especially race discrimination,
is much more subtle than in years past, and thus more difficult
to prove. Now that an African-American has been elected to
the highest office in the country, many people think that
race discrimination at work no longer exists. Unfortunately,
when minority employees attempt to exercise their rights and
report to management they think that they’ve been the
victim of discrimination, they are often branded as “difficult”
or “troublemakers”, and their situation may get
worse as a result. As such, we take discrimination in the
workplace due to race, skin color and ethnic background very
seriously.
Individuals should not have to worry that their race, skin
color or ethnic background could affect them in terms of getting
a good job, advancing within a company, or receiving a pay
raise. If you have been subjected to discrimination at work
because of your race, color or ethnic background, you have
rights under the law. You may be entitled to receive compensation
for lost income and benefits due to discrimination, in addition
to other monetary relief. Depending on the facts of your case,
punitive damages may be warranted to punish the employer and
to deter future violations of the law against you and other
employees. Contact Dozier Law Group to learn more about your
rights and potential legal remedies.
Gender and Pregnancy Discrimination
Although companies are becoming more receptive to women advancing
into managerial and executive positions, many women find that
their opportunities for advancement are limited or they are
not receiving comparable pay and benefits to their male counterparts.
Many women find that despite their excellent performance and
results on the job, they have hit a “glass ceiling”
and are denied promotions and pay raises. Similarly, some
women are told that their position has been “eliminated”
or they are laid off or let go without any notice or counseling
about their job performance or conduct shortly after informing
their employer that they are pregnant.
Gender discrimination at work can take many
forms, much of which is very subtle. Quite often, the language
of discrimination is as subtle as the act itself. A well-qualified
woman might be passed over for a promotion or new job because
she is told that clients and co-workers feel more comfortable
working with another employee, who just happens to be a male.
Another woman might find that her position and pay were lowered
or she was reassigned to different duties after returning
from maternity leave. There are numerous other situations
which arise from unfounded concerns or stereotypes about the
role that women should play or the extent of their capabilities
in the workplace. Dozier Law Group urges any woman who feels
that she has experienced discrimination in the workplace to
document any incidents and contact us. Contact Dozier Law
Group today.
Age Discrimination
Employees over the age of 40 are protected against age-related
job discrimination due to a pervasive bias against older employees.
For example, employees over 40 years of age may find that
they are passed over for promotions in favor of less-qualified
employees because management wants a younger, more energetic
office environment or feels that younger employees will be
more productive and motivated. Another example of age discrimination
at work could be an employer laying off older employees to
replace them with younger workers with lower salary requirements.
Your life experiences, work achievements and job knowledge
should be valued. As the baby boomer population gets older,
age discrimination promises to be more prevalent and will
affect more people than ever. If you feel that you have been
discriminated against due to your age, contact Dozier Law
Group today.
Disability Discrimination
People with disabilities face unique challenges in the workplace.
Sometimes, employers do not seriously consider job applicants
with disabilities for open positions based on preconceived
notions of how their disabilities would or might interfere
with their job performance. Disability discrimination occurs
when an employee with a visible or non-visible disability
is treated less favorably than other employees or job applicants
because of his or her condition. People with disabilities
are protected in the workplace and in other public places
by the Americans with Disabilities Act or ADA. This legislation
provides that disabled individuals cannot be discriminated
against, and employers are required to make reasonable accommodations
which would allow people with disabilities to perform their
job duties.
If you believe that you have a condition which qualifies as
a disability under the ADA and an employer has treated you
less favorably or has wrongly assumed that you cannot successfully
perform a certain job as a result, you may have a claim for
discrimination under the ADA. Because claims under the ADA
turn on very specific facts and circumstances, it is important
for you to contact experienced employment law attorneys to
evaluate your particular situation. The only way to end discrimination
against individuals with actual or perceived disabilities
is to confront negative stereotypes and unfounded assumptions
about their perceived limitations. Call Dozier Law Group today.
Retaliation
Federal law protects employees who attempt to assert their
rights by reporting what they believe to be unlawful discrimination
or harassment in the workplace. The United States Congress
intends to encourage employees to report discrimination and
harassment at work by making it unlawful for employers to
retaliate against employees who report such activity through
proper channels. Employees who have been the victim of unlawful
actions or have seen others victimized should not suffer additional
punishment when they try to make it stop by reporting it to
management. This is the basis for the retaliation protection
provided under federal law.
Recent developments in the law have lowered the bar for retaliation
claims and have made it a little easier for employees to succeed
with retaliation claims. If you believe that you or others
have been discriminated against or harassed at work based
on race, skin color, sex (gender), pregnancy, ethnicity, age
or disability, check the employee handbook, policy manual
or other company documents to see if the employer has a written
policy about reporting discrimination or harassment. If so,
closely follow the policy and report the activity to appropriate
personnel. If you make the report verbally, document that
you did this by sending a follow up e-mail, memo or letter
confirming the report and what was said, and keep a copy for
your records. If the employer engages in retaliation and later
denies that you ever reported any discrimination or harassment
to company personnel as a defense, you will have a paper trail
to offer in response to the employer’s denial.
Family & Medical Leave
Under the Family & Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”),
covered employees have the right to take an unpaid leave of
absence from work under specific circumstances for up to 12
weeks (60 days). FMLA leave covers the following:
- when you are unable to work because of a
serious health condition
- to care for an immediate family member (spouse,
child, or parent) with a serious health condition
- the birth and care of a newborn child
- placement of a child for adoption or foster
care
Employers must grant covered employees a leave
of absence under these circumstances. When employees return
from FMLA leave, they must be put back in the position they
held when the leave began or placed into an equivalent position.
Many employers fail to comply with the FMLA by denying employees
leave to which they are entitled or by replacing them during
or after their leave of absence. If you believe that you have
been unlawfully denied FMLA leave or you have been denied
the chance to return to your job or an equivalent position
after taking FMLA leave, call Dozier Law Group today.
Employment Claims
| Employment Litigation
– The First Step | Discrimination
Sexual Harrassment
| Representation
for Employers
Dozier Law Group represents clients in and around the Atlanta
metro area, including Alpharetta, Fairburn, Roswell, Sandy
Springs, Decatur, Lithonia, Druid Hills, Dunwoody, Tucker,
Marietta, Smyrna, Vinings, Duluth, Acworth, Fayetteville,
Marietta, Kennesaw, Lawrenceville, Norcross, Chamblee, Snellville,
Woodstock, Gainesville, Morrow, Carrollton, College Park,
Peachtree City, Riverdale, Newnan, Conyers, Covington, Canton,
Milton, John's Creek, Stockbridge, McDonough, Douglasville and other cities throughout the state of Georgia. |
