When it comes to employment discrimination protections, California is on the front lines of progress. However, that does not mean that every area has the same protections or handles protections the same way. Today, we want to discuss some efforts being made in LA to curb employment discrimination.
Rager & Yoon – Employment Lawyers are here for you when you need a Los Angeles discrimination attorney. Let us be your advocate as we seek to remedy the wrongs you have experienced and secure the compensation you deserve.
What We Know
LA City Council President Herb Wesson and Councilmember Gil Cedillo are busy. They are busy because they want to end discrimination within the city’s workforce.
First, we want to give you an idea of the scope of California’s problem with workplace discrimination. The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing is the agency responsible for making claims of discrimination in the workplace. According to the LA Black Workers Center, “the Department received nearly 24,000 complaints (in 2016), 86% of which alleged employment discrimination.”
Wesson and Cedillo introduced the Civil and Human Rights Ordinance in 2018. It seeks to establish a Civil and Human Rights Commission and Executive Director with the goal of giving the city “expanded authority to raise awareness about, oversee, and enforce discrimination” in the workplace.
Wesson said that “Employment should be based on a person’s merit, experience, and character, not the color of their skin, where they’re from, or who they love.”
Throughout history and today, we know that discrimination takes place in places where we work. However, both federal and state law bar discrimination against employees based on the following:
- Race or color
- Ethnicity or nationality
- Gender or sexual identity
- Disability
- Marital status
- Religion (or lack of religion)
- Age
- And more
Discrimination shows up in various ways, both verbally and non-verbally. Sometimes it is direct insults or derogatory phrases. Other times, discrimination shows up in pay discrepancies, promotions, benefits, job assignments, or layoffs.
People who face workplace discrimination often find that they cannot get out of it. Many people cannot simply quit their jobs. Workplace discrimination disproportionately affects lower-income and minority workers, those who are working paycheck-to-paycheck. Because of this, victims of discrimination often put up with the abuse.
Others fear that reporting cases of discrimination will lead to retaliation from supervisors or other employees or even termination from their job. This can create a hostile work environment that nobody should ever have to endure.
What Happens Now?
Employment discrimination is wrong, but it happens all the time. In LA, the city of hopes and dreams, we need to do what we can to end discrimination in the workplace. At Rager & Yoon – Employment Lawyers, we will be by your side. Let our team get to work investigating what happened so we can secure compensation for the following:
- Recovery of lost wages
- Reinstatement to your job
- Court costs and legal fees
- Pain and suffering damages
- Punitive damages
- And more
You do not have to stand idly by. When you need a Los Angeles discrimination attorney, you can contact us by calling at 310-527-6994 for a free consultation.