Employment Discrimination, Harassment & Equal Opportunity Employment

One of the more common misconceptions about employment law is that equal employment opportunity (EEO) laws prohibit ALL types of discrimination or harassment in the workplace. This is simply not the case. New York is an "at-will" employment state, which means that, unless you have an employment contract, your employer can terminate your employment for no reason, with little or no notice. Federal, state, and local anti-discrimination laws are an exception to the "at-will" employment rule and prohibit employers from basing employment decisions on certain protected classifications. In New York, it is illegal to discriminate against employees because of the following reasons:

• Race or Color
• Religion
• Sex/Gender
• Sexual Orientation
• Pregnancy
• National Origin or Ethnicity
• Age
• Disability

Discrimination often comes in one of two forms: individual decisions based on a protected category (such as hiring, firing or promotions) or harassment because of a protected category. In New York, it is unlawful for any employer to treat employees differently for any of the above reasons.

Here at the Filosa Graff Law Firm, we represent employees in all stages of the employment discrimination litigation process: from filing a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or the New York State Division of Human Rights (NYSDHR) all the way through trial. Before we file a complaint, we always reach out to the employer to try to resolve the case without resorting to time-consuming and costly litigation.

If you believe that your employer or supervisor has treated you differently than your co-workers or harassed you because of one of these reasons, you may have a claim for employment discrimination. If you are successful, you may be able to recover damages for back pay, front pay, emotional distress and punitive damages.

If you would like to speak with one of the attorneys at the Filosa Graff Law Firm to discuss whether you have a potential claim for discrimination, contact us today by calling (212) 256-1780 or by Filling Out The Form Here.
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