New York Ethnicity & Nationality Discrimination Lawyers

What Protects Workers Against Ethnic Discrimination?

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 included sex-based and ethnicity protections for groups who have historically been treated as inferior to their white male counterparts.

Unfortunately, more than 50 years later, our work continues to fight for the rights of applicants and employees who have been denied jobs, promotions, or equal pay, or have been fired due to their race, religion, skin color, and other cultural traits.

Fighting Against Ethnicity & Nationality Discrimination in the Workplace

Ethnicity encompasses a wide range of traits, including race, language, religion, skin color, and other cultural characteristics. Making assumptions about a person’s abilities or work tendencies, or even banning certain articles of clothing, are all violations of the law and grounds for employment discrimination based on ethnicity.

This type of behavior is detrimental to workplace morale, self-esteem, and productivity.

It is important for individuals not to feel intimidated about reporting race discrimination, because it is unlawful for employers to retaliate against any employee who files a complaint about ethnic origin discrimination in ways that include:

• Firing an employee
• Reducing hours
• Demoting an employee
• Assigning less responsibility
• Similar retaliatory or hostile actions

Common Examples of Ethnicity & Nationality Discrimination in the Workplace

Companies, organizations, or hiring personnel that bring biases and stereotypical views towards certain groups or cultures are breaking the law when those beliefs play a role in making employment decisions.

While they may try to hide their reasons for certain choices behind other factors, it is often evident to the individual receiving the poor treatment that the decisions are based on ethnicity.

Common scenarios our ethnicity discrimination lawyers see are:

• Employees denied a position or promotion that they were qualified for, especially when asked to answer questions about their ethnicity on the application or in the interview
• Being paid less than similarly qualified coworkers of other backgrounds, even with excellent job reviews for previous work
• Getting fired, wrongfully terminated, or otherwise mistreated without a history of poor performance or workplace discipline
• A person subjected to ethnic-based harassment in the workplace

Know Your Rights Against Ethnicity & Nationality Discrimination

No one can be denied a job, promotion, or comparable salary based on ethnicity, race, or national origin. These protections cover individuals nationwide at companies with at least 15 employees or more.

New York State and New York City have adopted local laws that expand these same protections for those working at companies with at least four employees.

Our team of experienced ethnicity and nationality discrimination lawyers has extensive experience in litigation in these types of cases in both small companies and those as large as Fortune 500 companies.

We work with clients every step of the way to fight for their rights while seeking the compensation they deserve. Here are a few things you can do to help set your case up for success even before speaking with an ethnicity discrimination lawyer.

• Gather any information to help support your claim, including emails, texts, applications, and details from witnesses
• Document the order of events and detail what took place
• Note any employees of a different race or national origin in a similar situation who received better treatment

How to File an Ethnicity and Nationality Discrimination Claim

If you believe you have been discriminated against in the workplace because of your ethnicity or nationality, you have the right to pursue legal action.

You should consider filing a written complaint with your supervisor or human resources department and keeping a copy for your records. Document each incident thoroughly, noting the time, date, place, and any witnesses.

You may also choose to file an ethnicity discrimination claim with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). It is always best to obtain effective legal representation prior to filing a complaint with an administrative agency.

Nationality discrimination claims should be filed within 180 days of the illegal action, although this deadline may be extended to 300 days in some cases. Additionally, you may file a local claim with the New York State Division of Human Rights or the New York City Commission on Human Rights.

You should always speak up about discrimination or harassment in your workplace. Once you file a formal complaint, you enjoy additional legal protections against retaliation. Remember, it is illegal for an employer to retaliate against you for filing an ethnicity or nationality discrimination claim.

Damages to Recover from Ethnicity or Nationality Discrimination

If you have been a victim of ethnicity or nationality discrimination in the workplace, you may be entitled to compensation for lost wages and benefits, emotional distress, attorney’s fees, and punitive damages.

Filippatos PLLC is Dedicated to Protecting You Against Ethnicity & Nationality Discrimination

If you believe you have been discriminated against at work due to your ethnicity or nationality, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are based in New York City, but serve throughout New York, including the Greater Tri-State area of New Jersey and Connecticut, as well as Florida.

At Filippatos PLLC, we believe all individuals—from factory workers to boardroom executives—are entitled to fair pay and a workplace free from discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. Our team of experienced NYC ethnicity and nationality discrimination lawyers will fight hard to secure you the dignity, respect, and justice you deserve.

Please give us a call at 888-9-JOBLAW, fill out our online form, send us a chat or schedule a free Zoom consultation so we may discuss the details of your case.

We are committed to finding a compassionate, innovative, and successful solution that is right for you.