San Francisco Employment Discrimination Attorney

Helping Victims of Discrimination in California

Discrimination in the workplace is illegal under both federal and state law. Unfortunately, workplace discrimination remains a significant problem in the United States, and employers in the San Francisco Bay Area are not immune from violating the law. At Polaris Law Group, we are dedicated to helping victims of workplace discrimination recover for their losses, and we regularly represent clients in a wide variety of employment discrimination claims.

Our committed legal team knows that discrimination can take many forms and can occur at any stage of the employment relationship. We also know how to identify discrimination and how to prove it in court, so please do not hesitate to reach out to our office today to learn more about your rights and options.

Contact us today at (888) 796-4010 to request an initial consultation.

What is Employment Discrimination?

Workplace discrimination occurs when an employer treats an employee or a group of employees less favorably because of a protected characteristic. Protected characteristics include the following:

• Age (over 40)
• Disability
• Gender
• Race
• Religion
• National origin
• Pregnancy
• Sexual orientation

Discrimination can take a variety of forms, including the following:

• Refusing to hire an applicant
• Firing an employee
• Refusing to promote an employee
• Refusing to give a raise to an employee
• Demoting an employee
• Subjecting an employee to unfavorable working conditions
• Refusing to reasonably accommodate an employee’s disability

These are only some examples of how employment discrimination can occur. If you believe that you have been the victim of employment discrimination, you should discuss your situation with an experienced attorney as soon as possible.

Employment Discrimination Laws in California

Both federal and state laws protect employees from workplace discrimination. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is the federal agency that enforces workplace discrimination laws, and the Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) is the agency that enforces similar laws in California. The DFEH also enforces laws that are specific to California, which provide even greater protection to employees. For example, under California law, an employee can bring a claim for discrimination against an employer with just five employees. In contrast, under federal law, an employer must have at least 15 employees for an employee to bring a claim for discrimination.

Employees who are the victims of workplace discrimination can bring a claim with either the EEOC or the DFEH. Under the law, however, employees must first file a claim with the appropriate agency before they can file a lawsuit in court. In California, employees have one year to file a charge of discrimination with the DFEH. The DFEH will then issue a “right to sue” letter, which gives the employee one year to file a lawsuit in court. If the employee has also filed a claim with the EEOC, the employee has 90 days to file a lawsuit after the EEOC has issued a “right to sue” letter.

What to Do If You Are the Victim of Workplace Discrimination

If you are the victim of workplace discrimination, there are several important steps that you should take to protect your rights:

• Document the discrimination. You should keep a written record of all instances of discrimination. In addition, you should keep copies of any emails, text messages, or other communications that you have received from your employer or supervisor that show that you have been the victim of discrimination. If you have been the victim of harassment, you should also document your response to the harassment and any actions that you have taken to report the harassment to your employer.
• Complain to your employer. If you have been the victim of discrimination, you should complain to your employer. Your employer should have a written policy that explains how to file a complaint, and you should follow that policy. If your employer does not have a written policy, you should make a complaint to your immediate supervisor, your human resources manager, or another appropriate person at your company. In your complaint, you should explain in detail the discrimination that you have experienced and explain that you want the discrimination to stop. If you have been the victim of harassment, you should also complain to your employer, even if you are afraid to do so.
• Cooperate in any investigation. After you have made a complaint, your employer should conduct an investigation. You should cooperate in that investigation and provide any documents or other evidence that you have to your employer. You should also provide the names of any witnesses to the discrimination or harassment that you have experienced.
• Keep a record of all retaliation. Your employer should not retaliate against you for making a complaint of discrimination or harassment. If you are the victim of retaliation, you should keep a written record of all instances of retaliation. You should also keep copies of any emails, text messages, or other communications that you have received from your employer or supervisor that show that you have been the victim of retaliation.
• Contact an attorney. You should contact an experienced employment discrimination attorney as soon as you believe that you have been the victim of discrimination or harassment. You have a limited amount of time to file a claim, and if you do not file a claim in a timely manner, you may lose your right to recover.

Contact a San Francisco Employment Discrimination Attorney Today

At Polaris Law Group, we know how to identify employment discrimination and how to hold employers accountable in court. We also know how to negotiate with employers and how to obtain favorable settlements for our clients.

To schedule a consultation with one of our attorneys, please call our office today at (888) 796-4010 or contact us online.