Discrimination

Discrimination in the workplace is a serious issue, and people subjected to discriminatory practices face threats to their livelihood and ability to advance their careers. Employers that discriminate based on age, race, gender, religion, or disability should be held legally accountable for their actions. Birmingham employment discrimination lawyer Will Beckum represents workers who have suffered from discrimination in the workplace in pursuing legal action against the responsible parties. If you have been a victim of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation because of your age, religious beliefs, disability status, gender, or race, you may be entitled to damages for your loss of income and emotional distress. Mr. Beckum is dedicated to making sure that employees’ rights are aggressively advanced so that justice is served. If you have questions regarding your legal rights and options as an employee, contact Beckum Law to learn more.

Discrimination in the workplace can take various forms. Employers can fail to hire an individual, deny promotions, retaliate against an employee, wrongfully terminate an individual, or engage in other discriminatory acts. Under federal law, discrimination exists when employment decisions are made based on race, color, gender, pregnancy, disability, age, national origin, legal alienage, or union activity. Many states have additional statutes for workers, but Alabama does not offer many additional protections. As a result, most discrimination claims in Alabama arise from a violation of a federal statute.

Laws prohibiting discrimination apply to current employees, former employees, and job applicants. An employment discrimination attorney in Birmingham might help an employee bring a claim under one of the following anti-discrimination laws:

• The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) bars discriminating based on disabilities, assuming that the employee is otherwise qualified to do the job. Under the ADA, disabled employees have the right to a reasonable accommodation as long as it does not create an undue burden on the employer.

• 42 U.S.C. Section 1981 prohibits discrimination based on race. Claims arising out of this statute may include employers’ unequal treatment of employees or applicants in hiring or promotion decisions, as well as situations involving a hostile work environment.

• Title VII of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employment discrimination due to race, color, sex, religion, or national origin. The statute applies to all public employers as well as private employers with at least 15 employees.

• The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) protects workers who are 40 years old or older from employment discrimination. Private employers subject to this statute must have at least 20 employees.

• The Equal Pay Act, amending the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), prohibits gender discrimination in compensation.

• The FLSA also protects workers by providing wage minimums as well as requirements regarding overtime pay, breaks, and hour limits.

• The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) protects employees from discriminatory actions by employers if they need to take time off for qualified medical or family reasons, which include pregnancy and other health conditions.

Various other laws also protect employees from religious discrimination, military service discrimination, and retaliation for filing a complaint against an employer. A Birmingham employment discrimination attorney can help an employee file a complaint with the appropriate governmental administrative agency, depending on the type of discrimination that has occurred. Each agency has a specific time frame in which filing must occur. Many claims involve the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which gives an individual only 180 days in which to file a complaint after the discrimination has occurred. Gathering evidence in these cases often requires detailed investigation and research. As a result, if you believe that you have been subjected to discrimination, you should contact a seasoned employment lawyer as soon as possible to ensure that your legal rights are protected.

Employers that discriminate in hiring, promoting, or any other area of employment should be held accountable for these illegal actions. Individuals who have been subjected to discrimination are entitled to compensation for the harm done to them. William Beckum represents workers throughout Alabama, including in Birmingham, Vestavia Hills, Hoover, Montgomery, Cullman, Trussville, Sylacauga, Huntsville, Jasper and Tuscaloosa. If you need assistance in a claim against an employer or former employer, contact our office today online or at 205-588-0699 to find out more about how we can help. We are also available if you are seeking legal advice or representation regarding estate planning or construction matters.