Employment Discrimination

Spotting Discrimination

Look for these suspicious circumstances:
a. Supervisors, managers or co-workers have made ageist, sexist, racist or derogatory comments about you or others.
b. You were neither disciplined nor criticized before you were terminated.
c. Your employer previously tolerated the same things it is now complaining about.
d. Your employer has given different reasons for its action.
e. Other employees not in your protected class were not held to the same standards.
f. Your employer's business judgment seems irrational (e.g., terminating the highest producing sales representative on the sales force).
g. The facts given by your employer to justify its decision are untrue.
h. Your employer's action follows closely in time after you have complained about harassment or other discrimination in the workplace.
i. Your employer did not follow its own written standards, policies or guidelines in taking the action against you.
j. Other employees in your protected class have also experienced discrimination.
k. Other managers, supervisors or employees found you to be a good employee.
l. Customers found you to be a good employee.
m. You received good performance evaluations, awards, pay raises or promotions.
n. You were replaced by someone outside your protected class.
o. You were not allowed to present a rebuttal or reply to your employer's criticisms,
p. You've worked hard, been a good employee, and your performance appraisals prove it.

In most cases. you only have 300 days from the time your employer acted against you to file a Charge of Discrimination.  Sometimes the period is only 180 days.  Do not delay or hesitate, or you could lose your right to recover damages.