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Were You Treated Differently Because Of Your Race?

Under federal and state laws, it is illegal to treat an employee or applicant differently or unfavorably because of their race or color, or because of personal features or traits that can be associated with race. It is also unlawful to treat someone differently in the workplace because they are married to or associated with a person of a certain race.

If you’ve experienced any kind of differential treatment at work based on race, reach out to an attorney from Cleveland Lehner Cassidy for help. We help clients recognize the signs of racial discrimination and hold their employers accountable for perpetrating or condoning the behavior.

If you believe race was the basis of your mistreatment, call our Indianapolis-based firm at 317-953-2600 or contact us by email for a free case evaluation. We welcome cases statewide.

Racial Discrimination In Employment Is Alive And Well

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 makes it illegal for employers to discriminate on the basis of race or color. This includes bias or differential treatment in:

  • Candidate pools and hiring
  • Pay, benefits and job perks
  • Job assignments
  • Promotions
  • Disciplinary action
  • Firing or layoffs

Cleveland Lehner Cassidy can also help employees who’ve experienced racial harassment at work, including sexual harassment when such mistreatment was race-based. If you’re a victim of any kind of mistreatment at work because of your race or skin color, our attorneys can pursue compensation and other forms of civil justice.

How Do I Recognize Racial Harassment At Work?

Racial harassment in the workplace can be either subtle or overt. Regardless of the degree, any kind of unlawful harassment can create a hostile work environment if it’s pervasive or frequent enough. No matter how much someone at work tries to conceal their motivation, if you are being discriminated against because of your race, there are a few ways to recognize it. Using racial slurs, making derogatory comments about a race, telling racist jokes, or displaying racially offensive symbols are a few examples of harassment.

An employee can be singled out and targeted. Harassment and bullying are not necessarily illegal. But if the harassing behavior is generally directed at a person because of their race, that employee may be able to claim race discrimination or harassment. Meeting with an employment rights attorney can help you understand whether or not you were a victim of racial harassment at work. At Cleveland Lehner Cassidy, we’ve worked with many clients facing legal challenges like yours, and we’ve been able to hold responsible parties accountable. Reaching out to us today can mean taking a step toward justice

Race Discrimination And Employment Policies

Sometimes discrimination is baked into a company’s employment policies and practices, even if these apply to every employee. When such blanket policies disproportionately impact people of a particular race, or are more openly intended to target them, the employer can be held liable for race discrimination. An often-cited example of this is a no-beards policy, which can disproportionately affect Black men who may be more likely to develop razor bumps from shaving. Constantly keeping a clean shave can cause employees with razor bumps to develop scar tissue and infections. While employers can determine the dress and grooming standards of employees, some limitations do apply.

Explore Your Possible Discrimination Lawsuit

If you’ve experienced discrimination or harassment at work because of your race, reach out to Cleveland Lehner Cassidy for help. We work hard to hold Indiana employers accountable for unlawful and unforgivable mistreatment at work.

We offer a free initial case evaluation, with same-day appointments possible in most cases. We charge flat fees for additional evaluations and offer payment plans to help clients afford quality legal representation.

If you have been the victim of race-related discrimination at work by your employer or coworkers, we can take action. Call 317-953-2600 or contact us online for a free case evaluation.