According to a recent article in the Washington Post, retaliation claims filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) reached an all time high of almost 40,000 in the year 2013, topping racial discrimination as the number one cause for discrimination charges filed against employers in the United States. Retaliation claims include those filed by employees that were demoted, terminated, or denied promotions by employers after they reported instances of race discrimination, sex discrimination, nationality discrimination, religious discrimination, age discrimination, pregnancy discrimination, and gender identification discrimination in the workplace. Federal laws prohibit employers for taking any kind of negative action against an employee for reporting such discriminatory practices.
The steady rise of retaliation claims may be a sign that American workers are becoming increasingly aware of their civil rights in the workplace, and their right to sue employers who retaliate against them. Though the majority of claims filed with the EEOC do not end up going to court, for those that do evolve into lawsuits, the results have been encouraging.
Just recently, retaliation claims against three Maryland employers were settled for a combined total of almost $300,000 for firing their employees who reported instances of pregnancy and sexual discrimination. Supreme Court decisions over the past ten years have increased protections for American workers and have afforded more people the opportunity to file claims against employers who retaliate against them.
Administrative officials with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission have noted that the recent trend in filing retaliation cases is evidence that American workers are becoming increasingly intolerant of discriminatory practices by their employers. Not only are they reporting instances of discrimination in the workplace more frequently, but they are also taking action against employers who retaliate against them. Reports of sexual harassment by both men and women in the workplace are another indication that workers are not tolerating things that they may have endured in the past.
Philadelphia Employment Law Firm of Sidney L. Gold & Associates Represents Victims of Discrimination in the Workplace
Philadelphia employment lawyers of Sidney L. Gold & Associates has been representing victims of discrimination in the workplace for the past three decades. As advocates for the civil rights of American workers, the team of dedicated and highly skilled Philadelphia retaliation lawyers has built a reputation for successful litigation and significant settlements for their clients.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of discrimination in the workplace, contact the Philadelphia and New Jersey employment law team at Sidney L. Gold & Associates at 215-569-1999 or complete the online contact form to schedule a consultation today.
