Washington Employment Lawyer
If you feel you are being harassed or discriminated against at work in the state of Washington, you may need the services of an employment lawyer. Washington state law - as well as US federal law - guarantees protection against workplace harassment and employment discrimination.
In the past 40 years the US government has laid out a raft of legislation that guards against discrimination in hiring or on the job.
These laws make it illegal for any Washington state employer to discriminate based on the race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age or disability of an employee or potential employee.
Workplace discrimination can take many forms - pay, promotion, assignment and firing related to any of the above traits are against the law.
Discriminatory hiring practices include hiring decisions based on stereotypes of people with any of the above traits or those married to people with any of the above traits.
Employees or applicants in that have suffered from harassment or have been denied employment due to such discrimination have legal recourse in Washington. A Washington employment lawyer can help.
Many employment lawyers in Washington offer a free consultation. This allows you the opportunity to meet with a lawyer and talk about your case. The lawyer will evaluate your options and you can discuss how you might pursue the case together.
Before any private lawsuit can be filed, a charge of discrimination must first be filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency in charge of enforcing the various laws prohibiting job discrimination.
If the alleged employment discrimination violates Washington state laws, then you will also need to file with the state Fair Employment Practices Agency, (FEPA).
You may wonder why you need an employment lawyer if you can go to these agencies, or vice-versa. The EEOC or Washington FEPA is a necessary first stop, and they will investigate your workplace discrimination claims. They will try to mediate a solution between you and your employer - and failing that, green-light you to sue.
Mediation may sound like an attractive option, but many opt for private lawsuits against their employers. The compensation for victims of discrimination is frequently much greater in private lawsuits - and for many it brings the satisfaction of exposing an employer's bad business practices.
Even if the EEOC or FEPA do not find wrongdoing on the part of your employer, you can still file a private lawsuit with an employment lawyer. Washington has many experienced employment discrimination lawyers who have won such cases.
Employment discrimination is a crime against our core American values of fairness and equality. If you believe you are a victim of such discrimination, you have options. The appropriate government agencies and private legal counsel can help you to win recognition and compensation for your suffering.
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