Employment Discrimination Lawyer Lansing, MI

You have the right to be free from discrimination in the workplace, and if your employer or a prospective employer has violated that right, you also have the right to hold them accountable for what they’ve done. Let the team at Fagan McManus, P.C. help you do that. Contact us today for a free initial case review with a dedicated employment discrimination lawyer serving Lansing, and let’s discuss your options for demanding justice and compensation.

What Is Employment Discrimination?

Employment discrimination occurs when an employer takes adverse employment actions against an employee or treats an employee unfairly based on the employee’s protected characteristic(s). Examples of adverse employment actions include:

Failure to hire
Failure to promote
Termination
Denial of pay raises or bonuses
Denial of favorable job assignment
Assigning unfavorable job duties
Failure to offer the same pay as received by similarly situated co-workers
Denial of training or career advancement opportunities
Subjecting an employee to a hostile work environment

Federal and state laws prohibit employers from discriminating against employees or prospective employees. The law also gives employees who suffer workplace discrimination the right to pursue legal claims against their employers to recover compensation and other forms of relief.

Protected Characteristics Under State and Federal Law

State and federal laws recognize several “protected characteristics” and make discriminating against employees based on those characteristics illegal. Federal laws such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Equal Pay Act prohibit employment discrimination based on protected characteristics such as:

Race
Skin color
National origin
Religious beliefs
Sex/gender
Sexual orientation
Disability or perceived disability
Pregnancy and nursing
Age (over 40)
Genetic information

Michigan law also recognizes additional protected characteristics, such as:

Arrest record
Height
Weight
Marital status

When an employer takes an adverse employment action against an employee or prospective employee, it must do so based on the employee’s ability to perform the job’s essential functions without regard to the employee’s characteristics.

Common Examples of Employment Discrimination

Examples of discriminatory actions by employers include:

Refusing to hire or promote a candidate or terminating an employee based on the employer’s bias against people with a specific protected characteristic
Refusing to provide equal pay to similarly situated employees who perform substantially identical work
Assigning less favorable work tasks to employees with protected characteristics
Denying preferable work assignments or refusing training or career advancement opportunities
Creating a hostile work environment that harasses workers with protected characteristics, such as allowing offensive jokes, intimidating conduct, or excluding employees from meetings and workplace events
Retaliating against a worker who complains of or reports workplace discrimination, files a workplace discrimination claim, or participates in a regulatory or legal proceeding regarding employment discrimination

How to Identify Employment Discrimination

Here are some of the major red flags that workers should watch out for that might indicate their employer is discriminating against them:

Repeated denials of promotions or career advancement opportunities to workers who share a protected characteristic
Unfair or inconsistent application of discipline or workplace policies, such as granting time off
Biased or offensive comments and behavior, such as offensive jokes, use of slurs, or inappropriate comments
Lack of diversity or representation in the workforce
Employees experience adverse employment actions for speaking up about potential discrimination
Refusal to discuss disability accommodations
Some employees who share a specific characteristic receive preferential treatment that other workers do not
Managers or supervisors exclude certain categories of workers from meetings or workplace events
Workers of different genders or races receive different pay for the same work despite having similar education, experience, seniority, etc.

Employment discrimination usually does not involve overt acts of discrimination. Instead, employers typically have legitimate, non-discriminatory explanations for an adverse employment action. As a result, employees who suspect that their employers have discriminated against them should carefully document incidents and communications that may help prove that an employer’s explanation merely serves as a pretext for discrimination.

Legal Remedies for Employment Discrimination

An employee in Lansing who experiences workplace discrimination can pursue legal remedies by first filing a charge of discrimination with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or the Michigan Department of Civil Rights. Workers must usually file a charge of discrimination within 180 days of the date of the discriminatory event. However, the EEOC allows workers to file charges of discrimination within 300 days of a discriminatory event if a state law in the worker’s state prohibits discrimination on the same basis as federal law and a state agency enforces that law.

After the EEOC or MDCR investigates a worker’s charge of discrimination, the agency may issue the worker a right-to-sue letter, which authorizes the worker to file an employment discrimination lawsuit in federal or Michigan state court, respectively. The worker has 90 days after receiving a right-to-sue letter to file the lawsuit.

A worker can pursue various forms of relief from their employer’s discriminatory acts, including:

Reinstatement (following a wrongful termination) and an award of lost accrued benefits or seniority
Compensation for back pay and lost benefits
Job search expenses
Compensation for emotional trauma and distress
Legal fees and costs incurred to pursue the discrimination claim

In rare cases, a jury in an employment discrimination lawsuit may award a worker punitive damages if the jury finds the employer acted maliciously or consciously disregards the worker’s employment law rights.

How Can an Attorney Help?

An experienced attorney from Fagan McManus, P.C. can help you pursue financial relief and accountability for what you’ve endured by:

Gathering and evaluating evidence of your employer’s discrimination, including HR records, disciplinary reports, witness statements, and written correspondence
Building a compelling case to show the employer’s discriminatory motivation for its actions
Documenting your financial and personal losses to ensure we pursue complete relief for you
Preparing and filing your charges of discrimination with the EEOC or MDCR
Filing your discrimination lawsuit on time after you receive a right-to-sue letter
Vigorously negotiating on your behalf with your employer for a fair, favorable, and efficient settlement of your claim
Taking your case to trial when litigation becomes necessary to demand accountability from your employer

Why Choose an Employment Law Attorney from Fagan McManus, P.C.?

Have you been discriminated against by an employer in Lansing, Michigan? If so, an employment law attorney can help you seek accountability and compensation for the harm and loss you’ve suffered as a result. Choose Fagan McManus, P.C. to advocate for your rights and interests in an employment discrimination case because:

Our firm has a proven track record of success in holding companies of all sizes accountable for violating workers’ rights. We’ve taken on companies ranging from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies.
Our attorneys work tirelessly to help you understand your legal rights. We will fight as hard as necessary to stand up for you and pursue the relief you need in an employment discrimination claim.
We will make a difficult time easier to navigate by providing personalized attention and dedicated support throughout your case.

Contact Our Firm Today to Discuss Your Legal Options

If you’ve been the victim of workplace discrimination in Lansing, get the legal advocacy you need to pursue accountability and justice from your employer. Contact Fagan McManus, P.C. for a free, confidential consultation with an employment discrimination attorney. We will explain how our firm can help you demand the compensation and relief you deserve for the discrimination you’ve endured.