New Jersey Racial Discrimination Lawyer
Although racial discrimination in employment has been illegal for close to 60 years, it is still an ongoing problem faced by many New Jersey residents. Indeed, racial discrimination is still considered the most common form of illegal, work-related discrimination in New Jersey. And despite the costs such discrimination imposes on workers and businesses alike, it continues to exist–and thrive–in far too many places.
If you are the victim of racial discrimination, staying silent is not an option. You need to work with a qualified New Jersey racial discrimination Lawyer who will help you hold an employer accountable for their actions. At Poulos LoPiccolo PC, we represent many clients who have faced disparate and unfair treatment in the workplace based on race. And we will aggressively pursue all available legal options to remedy the impact of that discrimination for you and your family.
The Various Forms of Racial Discrimination in New Jersey
In its most basic form, racial discrimination means making a job decision on the basis of race. So for example, an employer who refuses to hire Black or Asian workers clearly commits racial discrimination, which is banned by both the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD). Of course, most racial discrimination in the workplace is not so blatant.
For that reason, the laws governing racial discrimination also cover “disparate treatment.” This means that if an employer adopts a facially neutral policy that disproportionately affects members of certain racial groups, that too can be considered illegal discrimination. For instance, if an employer overtly favors white employees for promotions or only requires Hispanic employees to submit to drug tests, these would be forms of disparate treatment. Even policies such as refusing to hire anyone who has been arrested can be discriminatory if the impact disproportionately affects members of one racial group.
Racial discrimination also includes workplace harassment. Although we often hear about sexual harassment on the job, racial harassment is also a very real problem. If a supervisor or co-worker consistently makes racial jokes or uses slurs that target certain employees based on race, that may qualify as a “hostile work environment,” which is just as much a form of racial discrimination as simply refusing to hire someone based on their race.
New Jersey Racial Discrimination Lawyers Serving Ocean, Monmouth & Middlesex County
While the law offers strong protections against racial discrimination, the specific rules tend to get complicated. Federal law only covers certain employers–usually those with 15 or more employees–and requires individuals alleging discrimination to file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) before taking independent legal action. However, the New Jersey LAD covers all employers in the state and does not require filing an advance complaint with the state.
Sorting out where to file a complaint or lawsuit is just one of many legal issues that need to be addressed when pursuing a racial discrimination claim. This is where working with a skilled New Jersey racial discrimination lawyer can prove invaluable. So if you need legal advice or assistance, contact Poulos LoPiccolo PC today to schedule an initial consultation
