It has been decades since the federal government has passed multiple laws aimed at protecting workers. However, discrimination at work remains a serious problem in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Whether it’s based on race, ethnicity, gender, age or disability, employees are still being mistreated, in violation of federal and state laws.
Call our Philadelphia employment law firm for a FREE, NO OBLIGATION consultation. We represent mistreated employees in race discrimination, wrongful termination, and employment retaliation cases throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. (215) 545-8917
Federal & State Laws Protect Employees from Workplace Discrimination
Multiple federal laws protect workers from discrimination in the workplace.
- The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 prevents employment discrimination based on an employee’s physical, medical or mental health disabilities or impairments.
- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prevents employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin
- The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 prohibits discrimination based on pregnancy and pregnancy-related medical conditions.
In Pennsylvania, the Human Relations Act also provides similar protections.
Adverse Employment Action
To prevail in a workplace discrimination case, the employee must have suffered some adverse employment action, such as:
- Being fired or demoted,
- Being disciplined,
- Having pay or hours reduced, or
- Being assigned lower paying jobs/tasks.
Compensation for Workplace Discrimination
Mistreated employees can receive compensation for:
- Back pay,
- Front pay,
- Lost fringe benefits, such as stock options, sick pay, etc., and
- Emotional damages.
In especially serious cases, claims may be made for punitive damages. While rare in employment law cases, they may succeed where the employer’s conduct was especially egregious, such as fraud or deceit. In addition, claims may be made for attorney fees, court costs, and interest. Read more about compensation in employment cases in PA.
Deadline to File Claims for Discrimination at Work in Pennsylvania
Federal and state laws impose strict time deadlines within which to file a workplace discrimination case. In most workplace discrimination cases filed in Pennsylvania race, the employee has 180 days under federal law or 300 days under state law to file a claim. The clock usually starts ticking on the date of the discriminatory act, i.e., the date the employee was terminated.
About Koller Law Firm – Phila. Employment Law Firm
Firm founder David Koller is no ordinary employment lawyer. As the founder of Koller Law Firm, David prides himself on being a true advocate for his clients. He makes business decisions for the firm based on what’s in his clients’ best interests and routinely pushes the envelope when it comes to making novel legal arguments.
