Columbus Discrimination & Protected Classes Lawyer

Employment discrimination is completely unacceptable. Unfortunately, countless people in Columbus suffer discrimination based on a protected characteristic. They are unfairly fired, denied promotion, demoted, or never even hired in the first place. If you have questions about your legal rights, please contact the Oliver Law Office. We have decades of experience protecting those who are the victims of discrimination, and our Columbus discrimination & protected classes lawyer can meet for a free consultation.

Who is Protected from Workplace Discrimination?

Workers are protected from discrimination and harassment by both federal and Ohio law if they belong to protected classes based on:

  • National origin
  • Citizenship status
  • Age
  • Race
  • Color
  • Sex, including pregnancy
  • Sexual orientation and gender identity
  • Disability
  • Genetic information

Employers cannot discriminate in the hiring, promotion, termination, or other employment actions based on your protected characteristic. If they do, we can sue for various remedies.

A classic example of discrimination is laying off the oldest members of the company during an economic downturn. If workers are 40 or older, they are protected by federal law from age discrimination. Other common examples of discrimination include refusing to hire people due to their sex or race or refusing to promote someone for similar reasons.

Employers rarely admit to discrimination. Doing so would hurt their reputation with the public and make them vulnerable to a lawsuit. Instead, we must gather all relevant information, including any prior job evaluations. We might also request emails or other confidential communications.

Some discrimination isn’t intentional. For example, a job might have a neutral policy or regulation which nonetheless falls more heavily on a protected class. For example, many employers have requirements that workers lift 50 pounds or more. This type of neutral policy could lead to fewer women and elderly people being hired. Unless there is a business necessity for this regulation, however, this type of policy could constitute discrimination.

The remedies you seek will depend on the facts, but we often request:

  • Job reinstatement or promotion
  • Backpay
  • Front pay
  • Lost benefits
  • Liquidated damages
  • Emotional distress damages

Ohio Law on Discrimination

The federal law only applies to employers with 15 or more employees. If you work for a smaller employer, don’t worry. We can bring a discrimination claim using Ohio law, provided your employer has 4 or more employees. Ohio law is in many ways similar to federal law, although there are differences we can discuss with you.

Ohio has recently revised it workplace discrimination law. Now, workers must exhaust all administrative remedies, and they are limited in who they can sue. Our firm stays on the leading edge of changes in discrimination law so that we bring a solid claim. We can file a charge with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission on your behalf, if the facts warrant it, and represent you in court.

Over 25 Years of Experience

No worker should suffer discrimination in Ohio. Helpfully, Oliver Law can protect your rights. Call us today to schedule a consultation with our Columbus discrimination & protected classes lawyer.