Whether you have been harassed, demoted, or fired from your job due to your protected class, you may have grounds to bring a legal claim against your employer. An Austin employee discrimination lawyer can help you file this claim and fight for your rights. But keep in mind that just because your employer treats you unfairly does not automatically mean they discriminate against you. The law protects some groups of individuals and actions by workers. Read on to know more about these:

When Can You Bring a Claim?

You can have a valid discrimination case if you have a protected status. This includes facing workplace discrimination due to age, race, religion, disability, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and national origin. For instance, if you have been given reduced work hours or salary because of your age, then you might have a claim against the company you are working for. 

In addition, you may also have a valid case against your employer if you have been retaliated against for doing something that is not in their favor. These include filing complaints about discrimination, reporting illegal workplace practices, and filing a workers’ compensation claim. 

Steps to Take

If your employer is treating you unfairly on the job, here are steps you can take against the discrimination:

• Report the conduct. You must report any form of discrimination or misconduct that happens in your workplace to the supervisor, manager, or HR. Your employer should know or should have known about illegal treatment to be held liable for the conduct of their employees and customers. 
• Document the discrimination. Whenever you experience discrimination, write down what occurred including the dates, times, places, witnesses, and what took place. Keep copies of emails that document your work quality and performance evaluations. 
• Consult an attorney. Call a discrimination lawyer as soon as possible. Retaining them early enough allows them to convince your boss to intervene for you. Also, your attorney can help identify the validity of your claim and if they can pursue justice for you. 

Sometimes, your complaint may need to be filed with the Texas Workforce Commission Civil Rights Division or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission before you can file a lawsuit. While it’s not a requirement to hire an attorney to file it for you, it’s best to retain one before you do so. The reason is that errors or omissions in the report can lead to the dismissal of your claim. Your lawyer can amend or fix the report.