Discrimination at Work? The EEOC Protects You | Employee Rights
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- Discrimination at Work? The EEOC Protects You | Employee Rights
The Civil Rights Act protects employees from discrimination in the workplace. Title VII of this act prohibits employers from harassing employees or making decisions based on a persons race, religion, gender, age, ethnicity, or other protected class.
The federal governments Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) investigates and prosecutes violations of the Civil Rights Act in the workplace. If you have been discriminated against at work, you may be able to file a claim with the EEOC. If your claim is not resolved by the EEOC, an experienced employment discrimination attorney can help you resolve your claim.
Types of Discrimination Investigated by the EEOC
Most employers are subject to the rules of the EEOC, though this varies based on the type of company and the type of alleged discrimination. For private employers, the EEOC enforces prohibitions against discrimination if the company has at least 15 employees, or 20 employees if the complaint is based on age discrimination.
If a company is covered by the EEOCs rules, then discriminatory or retaliatory behavior based on the following types of protected characteristics is illegal:
- Sex
- Race
- Age
- Disability
- Sexual Harassment
- Pregnancy
- National Origin
- Religion
- Genetic Information
Nearly every aspect of daily work situations are covered by the EEOCs protections. Most commonly, people find discriminatory behavior in situations such as unfair wages, illegal harassment, and discriminatory hiring, firing, and promotion procedures.
What to Do If You Experience Discrimination
If you suspect that you are being discriminated against, you should first take your concerns to your human resources department, or use your company’s internal complaint procedures. Check your company’s handbook or employment manual and follow your company’s procedures before you take your concerns to the EEOC. Both the EEOC and most state courts will require you to utilize your company’s internal procedures prior to filing a lawsuit or EEOC complaint.
If your company refuses to address your concerns, you may file an administrative charge with the EEOC. Your local EEOC office will begin its investigation, and will notify your employer of its investigation. Your employer is prohibited from retaliating against you for filing an EEOC claim.
Your EEOC office will then either dismiss your claim, request that you and your employer go to mediation to try and settle your claim, or file a lawsuit on your behalf. Usually, your EEOC office will process your claim and issue you a right-to-sue letter. Once you have received this letter, you will be able to file a lawsuit against your employer for discrimination.
Protecting Employee Rights
Filing a lawsuit in state court is often the last step in getting justice after you have been treated unfairly at work. If you have been harassed, taken advantage of, or discriminated against based on your race, gender, age, or other protected characteristic, an experienced employment attorney can help you protect your rights.
Phillips Law Groupbelieves that every member of the workforce in Arizona, Utah, and California is entitled to the protection of their rights. If you or a loved one believes that any kind of discrimination is taking place, you can contact an employee rights lawyer to assess your legal options.
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Phillips Law Group is a company that has taught me so many things. Here your work, your dedication, effort and discipline are valued, in addition to the fact that, as a woman, as an immigrant and as a human being, I have been given value and empowerment. We are a successful law firm because all workers feel part of a great family. I am very proud and honored to work at Phillips Law Group.
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They knew exactly how to explain the case to me in a way that I would understand it. They gave me hope that my life wasn’t over.
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A friend of mine recommended Phillips Law and I’m so grateful, because they were so wonderful, so down to earth, so professional. I felt like they were family.
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Phillips law group has an amazing staff and i recommend them to everyone.
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Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, Value As someone who is familiar with the inner workings of the auto insurance industry I can whole heartedly endorse Steven J. Jones and Phillips law group as someone I would want on my side should litigation take place. They handled my case professionally, honestly, and with satisfactory results which I would not have expected without enlisting their help.
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The lawyers here are of top quality. Especially Trey Dayes, who was always respectful and hard-working.
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Phillips Law Group provides a collaborative environment in which both attorneys and staff work together to achieve the best outcome for clients. As an attorney here at PLG, I’m lucky to be surrounded by seasoned attorneys and knowledgeable staff that share my enthusiasm for helping accident victims. The team here at PLG treats clients with respect and empathy while fighting hard to get the results they deserve.
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I have been with Phillips Law Group for a little over a year and I have learned what teamwork and family in a workplace looks like. There is always someone around to lend a helping hand, which is something I appreciate and cherish. I feel a sense of joy coming to work every day because of my co-workers as well as being able to help people in what can be a scary and stressful situation. I currently work as a Litigation Legal Assistant with an amazing team. When I started here, I was not very knowledgeable in personal injury. I was lucky to have been placed with an amazing team who was willing to take time to teach and pass on some great skills that have been a huge aid in helping me be successful in my position. I would recommend working here at Phillips Law Group, because they care about their employees and there is so much room for growth.
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I’ve been working at Phillips Law Group for nearly four years and I can confidently say this is the best personal injury firm in Arizona to work for. The firm is the best for numerous reasons but to start, Phillips Law Group gives employees opportunities for promotions and growth. I started working within the settlement department, moved to a paralegal assistant and grew to be a pre-litigation paralegal with my own case load. Each attorney I have worked for is extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and easy to talk to. Secondly, I love how Phillips Law shows appreciation for employees. They host Friday Zoom Huddles giving out PTO, goodie bags, special shout outs, bonuses and gift cards. They also host extravagant holiday parties and fun contests during the Holidays! Lastly, the firm cares about giving back to the community, which is a trait I value as well. It’s rewarding to see a fast paced firm taking time out of their busy day to pay it forward. I would highly recommend working at Phillips Law Group!
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Great company and awesome service. Thanks Caroline fabos. Kudos to all.