Facing unfair treatment at work can be frustrating, but your Washington, D.C. employment discrimination lawyer can help. Discrimination at work takes many forms—some obvious, some harder to spot. If you’re wondering whether you might have a valid legal case, we’re ready to use our 30+ years of legal experience to show you the way forward.
Look At How You Were Treated
The first step is thinking through what happened. Were you passed over for a promotion while someone with less experience got the job? Were you let go shortly after revealing a medical condition or pregnancy? Were you denied opportunities or treated differently after filing a complaint or taking protected leave?
Know What Counts Under The Law
Federal and state laws protect employees from discrimination based on certain traits. These include race, national origin, sex (including pregnancy and sexual orientation), and religion. There’s also disability discrimination, and discrimination based on age (for those over 40). Some state laws go further and add categories like marital status or political affiliation.
Watch For Unequal Standards
If your manager disciplines you for something other employees get away with, or you’re held to stricter expectations than your coworkers, that could be a red flag. Especially if the others being treated differently don’t share your background or identity. Unequal discipline, work assignments, or feedback can all support a discrimination claim when they follow a certain pattern.
Consider How Others Were Treated
It can also help to look around at your workplace. Are people who share your race, gender, or background treated differently as a group? Are promotions going mostly to one type of employee, while others are overlooked? Patterns like this may support your claim, especially when combined with specific events in your own experience.
Keep Records Of What Happened
If you think you may have a case, write down what’s happened so far. Include dates, names, and details about each incident. Save any emails or messages that back up your account. The more organized your timeline is, the easier it is to explain your side and show a clear picture of what’s been going on.
File A Complaint If Needed
Many companies have a process for reporting discrimination. That could mean filing a complaint with human resources or submitting a report through an internal system. This step is often required before you can take further legal action. Even if you think your employer won’t take it seriously, it helps to have a record that you tried to raise the issue.
Talk To Someone With Legal Experience
Discrimination cases can be hard to prove without legal guidance from an employment discrimination lawyer. That doesn’t mean they aren’t valid—it just means that the process can involve deadlines, paperwork, and rules that are easier to manage with help. An employment discrimination lawyer can go over the details with you, explain where your case stands, and help you decide what to do next.
We’re Here If You Need Support
At Eric Siegel Law, we’ve worked with employees facing wage/hour issues, employer misconduct, and discrimination – and we’ve been doing this for over 30 years. If you think you’ve been treated unfairly and want to speak with someone who handles these matters regularly, reach out to us today to get started.