The Color of Your Skin Should Not Affect Your Livelihood
In a country made up of immigrants, it is unfortunately still common for people to be discriminated against because of their race or national origin. Every day, people are judged, disciplined and not hired because whoever is in a supervisory position has a bias against their color or ancestry. These practices are illegal. Racial discrimination and national origin discrimination is strictly prohibited by local, state, and federal anti-discrimination statutes. At Ricotta & Marks, P.C., our race discrimination lawyers in Queens and Long Island, New York are committed to protecting the legal rights of employees—not large companies. We have the skills, training, and compassion to handle the full range of racial discrimination claims. If you or your loved one was a victim of racism in the workplace, we are here to help. For a free, confidential consultation with an experienced employment discrimination lawyer, please call us at (347) 464-8694 or contact us online.
What is Race Discrimination?
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) defines race/color discrimination as treating a person (applicant or employee) unfavorably because of their race or because of characteristics that are commonly associated with race. In practice, workplace race discrimination can come in many different forms:
- It is illegal for employers to ask about your race during an interview, although they can collect the information during the application process for affirmative action purposes;
- It is illegal to not hire you, fire you, discipline you, not promote you, or a take any other adverse action against you that is motivated, even just in part,on your race; and
- It is illegal to subject an employee to a hostile work environment on the basis of their race or color.
If you believe that you have been harassed, passed over for employment or promotion, fired, or disciplined because of the color of your skin, we want to hear your story. We have the knowledge to pick out the important details of what you tell us to indicate how you have been discriminated against and what you can do about it. Your story is the best defense you have in your fight for your rights because it is the foundation of your case. Contact our race discrimination lawyers in Queens and Long Island for help.
Racial Discrimination is a Violation of Local, State, and Federal Law
Employees in New York are protected against race discrimination on multiple levels. First, depending on your jurisdiction, there may be local laws in place. As an example, the New York City Human Rights Law contains strong protections against workplace racism. At the state level, the New York State Human Rights Law prohibits race discrimination in the workplace. Finally, race/color discrimination in employment is barred by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Some individuals may also have Constitutional protections under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
We know that workplace racism claims are complicated. It is not always easy to know the best approach to take to protect your rights and get justice. Employees are encouraged to read more about race discrimination on our FAQ page. If you have any specific questions about your case, your rights, or your options, please call our New York City and Long Island employment lawyers for immediate assistance.
Discrimination May Be Concealed With Pretextual Reasoning
Virtually every business owner and manager in New York City and Long Island is aware of the fact that workplace racial and national origin discrimination is illegal.
Although it does still happen in some cases, most employers do not openly admit to the fact that they are discriminating based on an employee’s race —at least not intentionally. Instead, an employer who allegedly discriminates against his or her employees or applicants will tell you that it had nothing to do with your race.
Sometimes this is true, sometimes it is not. In employment law, this is often referred to as ‘pretextual reasoning’. Put simply, a pretextual reasoning is a false but legal reason used to hide the true motivations. If you believe that your employer is coming up with pretextual reasons to cover up discrimination, call a lawyer immediately. Our Queens and Long Island NY workplace discrimination attorneys are ready to conduct an in-depth investigation.
National Origin Discrimination is Also Unlawful
Discrimination on the basis of national origin is unlawful.
Many people believe that if they have the same skin color as another person, he or she will not act with bias against them. But national origin discrimination happens all the time. A woman from Russia may discriminate against a woman from Poland. A man from Mexico may harass a man from Ecuador. Tensions between nations don’t stop at their borders. They are carried throughout the world into many different situations, even your workplace. While there may be an overlapping racial element in a national origin discrimination case, one is not required.
How the Race Discrimination Attorneys at Ricotta & Marks in Queens, NY Can Help
It is illegal to discriminate against or harass someone in the workplace because of their race or national origin. If you are treated differently than people of a different race or nationality, you are suffering discrimination and you have the right to stop it. The employment law team at Ricotta & Mark, P.C. can help. We are ready to take aggressive action to protect your rights—including helping you file a case with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), New York State Division of Human Rights, New York City Commission on Human Rights, or a federal or state lawsuit for racial and/or national origin discrimination and work with you to see it through to the end, whether that is a settlement or going to court.
Contact Ricotta & Marks, P.C.’s
Race Discrimination Lawyers in Queens and Long Island
At Ricotta & Marks, P.C., our New York City and Long Island employment law attorneys have experience handling race discrimination claims, color discrimination claims, and national origin discrimination claims. If your rights were violated, we are ready to help.
For a free, fully private case evaluation, please contact our legal team at (347) 464-8694. We represent employees in workplace racism cases at our Queens and Long Island law offices – and throughout the surrounding region, including in Manhattan, Staten Island, Brooklyn, The Bronx, Long Island, and beyond.