First Name:

Last Name:

Telephone:

Email:

Address:

City:

State:

Zipcode:

Incident Details:

form base
Home » Areas of Practice » Labor Laws

Race Discrimination

Race Discrimination| Attorneys for Orlando, Tampa, Fort Myers, Jacksonville and Miami

In the Declaration of Independence, it states that all men and women are created equal, but racial discrimination in the workplace still exists, challenging one of the most fundamental ideal s that our country was founded upon. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed to shield workers from discrimination at their place of employment on the basis of race and color, among other characteristics. Countless years of prejudice have held qualified employees back from being hired and promoted. However under Title VII, landing a job and advancing up the corporate ladder is contingent upon performance and merit. Essentially, this makes it unlawful to intentionally discriminate and reject minority employees for reasons that go beyond the job.

According to state and federal law, it is illegal to discriminate as a result of someone’s race or skin tone. Nevertheless, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) received 27,696 complaints about racial discrimination on the job, and this number appears to be on the rise; since the middle of last decade, race-related filings have jumped by 125 percent. Racial discrimination at the jobsite is not only against the law, but it is devastating and vindictive.

Our nation has made major efforts to rid the workplace of racial discrimination, but it has been a struggle to completely wipe it out. This day in age, racial discrimination is not as evident, so it is more difficult to distinguish. But, no matter how this kind of discrimination presents itself, employers and employees alike must recognize the illicit nature of it and realize that allowing it to continue is not making a step in the right direction.

It isn’t uncommon for employees to worry about jeopardizing their jobs if they are to speak out about racial discrimination. Prejudice is not tolerated under federal employment legislation, so it is important to educate yourself on the topic and know your rights. Undoubtedly, there are penalties for racial discrimination, so besides filing a complaint with EEOC, it is wise to consult an attorney as well. Employees who are targeted by racial discrimination are entitled to compensation.

Under Title VII, victims of racial discrimination may be entitled to:

  • Job reinstatement and promotion.
  • Wage recovery and other job-related losses.
  • Financial damages.
  • Injunctive relief; a company is forced to amend its policies for the purpose of stopping discrimination.
  • Payment of lawyer fees.