San Bernardino Race Discrimination Lawyer

Racial discrimination in the workplace is an ongoing concern in San Bernardino. The federal Civil Rights Act and California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) provide broad protection in the area of employment based on an individual’s race, color, national origin, or ancestry. When an individual experiences employment-related racial discrimination, resolving the issue may require a San Bernardino race discrimination lawyer.

These laws apply to private and public employers, employment agencies, licensing boards, and labor organizations. Employees and job applicants are protected by state and federal laws, and California employers are required to follow the applicable law that creates the highest standard.

Experienced Legal Counsel for Race Discrimination in San Bernardino

The attorneys at the Law Offices of Reisner & King LLP advocate for fairness in the workplace and limit their practice to representing employees and not employers. With deep experience in employment law, they stand by workers facing challenging legal situations. It may be intimidating and confusing to consider filing a suit against your employer, especially in cases involving discrimination or retaliation.

To promote fairness and equity, it is crucial to report incidents of racial or workplace discrimination. Whether you are facing harassment, wrongful termination, or have acted as a whistleblower exposing unlawful practices, the team is here to help. The race discrimination and employment law attorneys at the Law Offices of Reisner & King LLP are passionate about protecting the legal rights of the people they represent and work to educate, inform, and provide guidance throughout the legal process.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reported that in 2023, there were 1,651 reports of racially-based discrimination in California. Even though California has some of the most comprehensive anti-discrimination laws in the nation, incidents of racial discrimination still persist.

Data from the Cost of Racial Injustice report states that employee turnover as a result of racial discrimination has cost American organizations $172 billion. Other costs of race discrimination in the workplace include absenteeism, stress, worry, poor mental health, and loss of productivity.

Racial discrimination in the workplace can lead to lasting trauma and emotional disturbance. It can also have financial repercussions for an individual if they are denied promotions, salary, and benefit increases, or have their hours cut based on their race. Racial discrimination can lead to career stagnation when an individual is consistently passed over for promotions or varied work experiences due to their race.

Other forms of discrimination can include hiring policies that exclude individuals with ethnic-sounding names and exclusion from key meetings or events. An effective race discrimination attorney can review your case, explain your options, guide you through the legal process, and ultimately hold the offending employer responsible for their actions.

Why You Need a Top San Bernardino Race Discrimination Lawyer

Racial discrimination can also include harassment. Harassment can include the use of racial slurs, offensive jokes, taunts and ridicule, racially offensive symbols, and negative and derogatory comments directed at an employee. It is illegal for an employer to condone, promote, or allow a hostile workplace environment. Employers are responsible for providing protection to all employees to work free of harassment.

A skilled racial discrimination attorney in San Bernardino will guide you through the legal process and ensure that you have collected the necessary information to present a compelling case.

A strong racial discrimination case may rely on:

• Direct evidence documented by the employee that shows discriminatory intent via actions or statements
• Circumstantial evidence documented by the employee that reveals patterns of behavior, such as promoting less qualified employees to overqualified employees of a certain race or documented disparities in salary or work assignments based on the race of the employee
• Documentation of written communication in the form of emails, text messages, performance reviews, memos, or company policies that demonstrate discriminatory intentThe employee should also record specific instances when discrimination or harassment occurred in a detailed journal. Any communication (your complaint and the responses) regarding the discrimination or harassment with the human resources department should also be retained.
• Witness testimony from other employees who have witnessed discriminatory actions in the workplace
• Documentation of mental health or medical treatment that was sought as a direct result of the harassment or racial discrimination

FAQs

Q: How Much Is a Racial Discrimination Lawsuit Worth?

A: A settlement amount will be influenced by multiple factors, including the circumstances of racial discrimination, the base pay of the employee, the employee’s length of tenure with the company, and the size of the company. Monetary awards may include back pay, contributions to the employee’s retirement fund, lost wages, compensation for medical and dental insurance, lost vacation and sick pay, cost of attorney’s fees, and compensation for emotional pain and suffering.

Q: What Are the 7 Grounds of Discrimination?

A: The Fair Employment and Housing Act aims to protect California employees from discrimination based on seven key characteristics.

These include:

• Race, including personal characteristics associated with race
• Religion
• Gender
• Disability
• Sexual orientation
• Veteran status
• Age (if one is over 40)

Discrimination occurs when an individual receives less favorable treatment based on one of the above characteristics.

Q: How Hard Is It to Win a Discrimination Lawsuit?

A: Success in a racial discrimination lawsuit requires sufficient evidence to support your claim, effective negotiation, and a coherent strategy. A skilled race discrimination attorney can ensure that all relevant information is collected and presented, provide a compelling narrative of the discrimination that occurred and its impact on the employee, and work to maximize the financial compensation received.

Q: What Qualifies as a Discrimination Lawsuit?

A: A discrimination lawsuit is the result of unfair or unequal treatment. Discrimination can occur during any phase of the employment relationship (application, hiring, promotion, salary assessment, job assignments, performance evaluations, and ending the relationship).

If a complaint filed with either the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) or the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is not resolved, the employee will receive a right-to-sue letter that allows the employee to move forward with legal remedies.

The Law Offices of Reisner & King LLP – Your Trusted San Bernardino Race Discrimination Lawyer

If you’ve endured workplace racial discrimination in the San Bernardino area, our attorneys can help during this difficult time. Contact the team at the Law Offices of Reisner & King LLP in San Bernardino to set up a confidential and free consultation so that we can learn more about your case.