Discrimination Attorneys Oakland

Discrimination Attorneys Oakland

Employment discrimination continues to be a problem for many people in California, despite strict state and federal laws prohibiting such conduct. Olivier & Schreiber P.C. handles complex work discrimination cases, and we can assess your rights under your circumstances. 

Discrimination literally means recognizing the difference between one thing and another thing. And we do it all the time. But there is also what the law calls “invidious” discrimination or illegal choices between one thing or another, including treating one employee differently from another for certain reasons.                 

At its most basic, illegal discrimination is based on race, color, sex, or other protected factors. Of course, when it comes to the law, especially in California, nothing is ever at its most basic. Illegal discrimination is a complex and complicated area of the law. 

Generally, federal law protects the following classes or groups:

• Race.
• Color.
• Religion or creed. – California includes religious grooming or dress here.
• National origin or ancestry – California includes illegal status here.
• Sex (including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity). – California treats gender identity/expression as its own class, as it does sexual orientation.
• Age.
• Physical or mental disability – California adds HIV/AIDS, cancer, and genetic characteristics here
• Veteran status.
• Genetic information.
• Citizenship.

Additional California-protected classes include:

• Marital status, which often includes having children or not
• Request for family care leave
• Request for leave for an employee’s own serious health condition
• Request for Pregnancy Disability Leave
• Retaliation for reporting patient abuse in tax-supported institutions

The government can prohibit discrimination in a lot of areas. Many people only think of employment discrimination. But there can also be discrimination in housing, credit, and access to public spaces, for example. And even employment discrimination is a highly complex issue, with potential cases of sexual harassment, age discrimination, and disability discrimination, all of which affect hiring and firing and job retention once hired.

Further, some employer policies discriminate on their face, or they have discriminatory results – that is, disparate impact discrimination. Both are equally illegal. But they require different forms of proof and offer different potential results. 

Generally, under the Fourteenth Amendment to the US Constitution, the government cannot discriminate among its citizens. Lawyers refer to this prohibition as “equal protection.” Equal protection under the Fourteenth Amendment, however, only limits governmental action. That’s why there are so many statutes prohibiting certain types of discrimination. These statutes expressly cover private citizens and apply to private parties, thereby protecting the rights of those who might experience discrimination. 

Speak with a Discrimination Attorney in Oakland Today

If you believe you experienced illegal discrimination at work in Oakland, you must immediately contact an experienced discrimination lawyer from Olivier & Schreiber P.C. The deadline for filing a claim often runs quickly, and putting together these evidence-heavy cases can be exceptionally time-consuming. 

Don’t suffer your discrimination in silence. Contact us today for an initial consultation and case evaluation. Let one of our experienced discrimination counsels help you to fight your discrimination case and get the recovery you deserve.