Florida Race Discrimination Lawyer

What does the law say about race or color discrimination?

Both federal and Florida state civil rights laws protect you from being discriminated against based on race or color. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 addresses this area of workplace discrimination (as well as many other categories) and covers both employees and applicants for a job.

Under these laws, no employer can discriminate against you on the basis of your:

• Personal characteristics associated with race
• Skin color complexion
• Hair texture or certain other facial features

The law also covers you if you face discrimination because you are married to (or associated with) a person of a certain race or color. Discrimination can still be deemed to have occurred when perpetrated by someone of the same race or color as you.

You are covered by law when an employer engages in the following employment-related activities:

• Hiring and firing
• Awarding pay
• Making job assignments or promoting employees
• Laying off employees
• Training employees
• Awarding fringe benefits, such as leave and health insurance
• Other terms or conditions of employment

Examples of race/color discrimination

The race/color discrimination laws protect you against the following types of actions by an employer:

• Refusing to interview or hire people of a particular race or color
• Asking inappropriate questions in an interview (e.g. where an applicant’s family comes from)
• Refusing to promote an employee of a particular race or color
• Failing to give similar job assignments or titles to people of a particular race or color as they give to other employees
• Offering lower compensation (wages, salaries, benefits) for an employee of a particular race or color
• Denying training opportunities that are offered to other employees
• Disciplining an employee of a certain race more harshly than other
• Retaliating against someone who makes a complaint or files a claim of race or color discrimination

Discrimination in the workplace can also lead to harassment (verbal or physical), which is legislated against separately in federal and state law.

Specific Case Examples

Have you lost out at work because of race or color discrimination?

Race discrimination in the workplace can be hard to prove. However, it remains common in the workplace and we must continue to fight for what is right.

It may be obvious, such as when an employer refuses to hire people of a certain race or color or restricts their hours. A subtler form of discrimination would be the denial of training or personal development opportunities that other employees receive simply because of your race.

Some employers, unfortunately, hold deeply ingrained and stereotyped beliefs, making assumptions about people’s traits or abilities based on race or color. Others look for easy ways to cut costs.

Race or color can wittingly or unwittingly be used as an excuse for discrimination.  Policies may be designed that create a hostile environment for some races.

These are unlawful activities by an employer that can impact an employee’s:

• Job prospects and career opportunities
• Family income and financial situation
• Health and wellbeing
• State of mental health

Get the right legal advice from a Florida race discrimination lawyer and you can start protecting yourself against racial discrimination.

Have you experienced racial discrimination in the workplace? What can you do?

If you have been discriminated against in the workplace because of race or color, you may be able to take legal action that requires your employer to:

• Take action to restore you to the same position you would have been in if the discrimination had not taken place
• Pay damages to compensate you for back pay, benefits, emotional distress, suffering, and so on
• Prevent future acts of discrimination

As an experienced Florida race discrimination attorney, I can help assess your case for race or color discrimination. Remember that the law protects you not only from discrimination but also from retaliation by an employer if you do make a claim.

If pursuing legal action is agreed upon, I will help you take the necessary steps to build your case.

Contact a race discrimination attorney in Florida

From here, we need to:

1. Assess your claim. Start by booking a free phone consultation below.
2. Decide whether to pursue a complaint after our consultation.
3. File a complaint or lawsuit with a local or federal agency, or state or federal court.
4. Prepare the paperwork so that we can draft the complaint or lawsuit.

Our experienced legal team also handles clients with other types of discrimination cases, including:

• Pregnancy discrimination,
• Disability discrimination,
• National origin discrimination,
• Age discrimination, and
• Gender discrimination.

Contact our law firm Brenton Legal P.A. today.