Although federal law offers several statutes to protect employees from employment discrimination, and though both New York State and New York City laws offer even more protection to their residents, discrimination in the workplace is all too common. Many cases of discrimination go unreported because the discrimination is subtle and hard to pin down or because the employee fears retaliation. If you have been treated unfairly at your workplace based on a protected category, such as race or gender, Scaffidi & Associates has experienced, highly competent employment law attorney to make sure you are compensated for the injustice you have suffered.
Don’t allow yourself to be victimized. Contact us as soon as possible so we can start defending your civil rights. Don’t worry about retaliation — our attorneys know how to hold your employer accountable for that as well. If your employer has retaliated or does so in the future, he/she is breaking the law and we will fight for increased damages.
Federal Laws To Prevent Employment Discrimination
Though there are several federal laws in place to protect employees from workplace discrimination, it takes a highly skilled employment attorney make sure these laws are enforced. These laws include:
- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
- The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)
- The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Employees whose employment discrimination lawsuits are based on one or more of the following characteristics may be entitled to back pay, attorneys’ fees, and court costs, as well as compensation for their pain and suffering:
- Age (40 and older)
- Citizenship status
- Color
- Disability (physical or mental)
- Genetic information
- National origin
- Race
- Religion
- Sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions)
This means that if you are targeted for mistreatment because of any of the above personal characteristics in terms of hiring, promotion, wage and hour issues, workplace environment, bonuses, or other working conditions, you are entitled to significant compensation for you physical treatment and any emotional or financial harm you have suffered as a result.
New York State Laws Expand Your Protection Against Employment Discrimination
The New York State Human Rights Law extends employees’ protections against discrimination to cover:
- Age (18 and older)
- Genetic characteristics
- Marital status
- Familial status (pregnancy, caring for a child under 18, seeking to adopt a child under 18
- Sexual orientation
- Creed (belief system)
- Perceived gender identity (transgender)
- Lawful recreational activities when away from the workplace
- Marital or military status
- Observance of Sabbath
- Political activities
- Use of a service dog
- Prior arrest record
- Prior convictions (with few exceptions)
- Status as a victim of domestic violence
You can see from this list that New York State is very protective of its employees. So is Scaffidi & Associates. We know how to apply every aspect of every federal and state law to your best advantage.
We Fight Employment Discrimination From Both Sides
As our communities and places of employment become increasingly diverse, it is increasingly essential for both employees and employers to understand the way employment anti-discrimination laws work. At Scaffidi & Associates we believe that unless employment discrimination is understood by every member of the business, there are likely to be more lawsuits. Therefore, in addition to defending employees against discriminatory practices, we are fully prepared to clarify the parameters of discriminatory practices to increase the awareness of supervisors, managers, executives, and business owners. Apart from helping to create safer and more equitable workplaces, employers can avoid the trouble and expense of being accused of noncompliance with state and federal anti-discrimination laws.
Damages Scaffidi & Associates Can Obtain for You
Our talented employment discrimination attorneys will fight vigorously to get you compensatory damages, including hiring, reinstatement, promotion, back pay, front pay and non-economic damages for mental distress.
Under New York State law, unlike under federal law, compensatory damages are not capped. Depending on the circumstances, we may be able to get you reimbursed for attorneys’ fees and court costs. In rare cases, in which we can prove deliberate malice on the part of your employer, we may be able to win you punitive damages as well.
There are, however, limits set on how much we can win for you under federal law where the maximum amount is based on the size of the company you work for. If your company has between 15 and 100 employees, for example, you may receive up to $50,000 in damages. If it has more than 500 employees, on the other hand, your compensation may rise — up to $300,000.
Contact Our New York Employment Discrimination Attorney Today
If you choose Scaffidi & Associates as your employment discrimination law firm, you will find us totally dependable, supportive, and trustworthy. Contact us by phone or through our website and we will be at your side throughout the process. Our attorneys are dedicated to ending discrimination in the workplace, one case at a time. The moment you become our client, you will be the center of our attention. We will work long and hard to win your justice.