Does your work place discriminate?

With the new year, many employees evaluate their current employment situation and New Year’s resolutions may include getting a new job or moving up within their current workplace. One of the factors that may influence whether you decide to seek a new job or receive a promotion is whether you have been subject to discrimination. Some common types of discrimination include sex discrimination and race discrimination. In these instances, workers are not hired, fired or not promoted based on a person’s gender or race. Such actions may be grounds for a discrimination lawsuit.

However, other less well publicized forms of discrimination exist and may be keeping you from reaching your employment goals. For example, part-time employment discrimination may exist where part-time workers are passed over for special assignments or opportunities because they are seen as less dedicated than full-time workers. While no federal laws prohibit this, if you feel that your status as a part-time worker is keeping you from improving your station, speak up. Talk to your supervisor and express your concerns. Workers who show commitment and a desire to take on greater responsibility are valued by most employers and are often rewarded with job promotion.

Another type of discrimination that may occur is family responsibility discrimination. This includes when working mothers and fathers take time off to care for sick children and their supervisors treating them less favorably as a result. This may also happen where workers take time to care for their elderly parents and face a hostile workplace as a result. Some states and cities have laws that address discrimination based on family responsibilities, and in some situations the FMLA may provide some legal protections.

If you believe that you are facing any type of discrimination it is important to contact an employment discrimination lawyer right away. For more information or if you believe that you have faced any type of work place discrimination, please contact the Georgia employment lawyers at Buckley Bala Wilson Mew LLP for an immediate case evaluation.