New York Employment Discrimination, the Basics

By: Michael J. Borrelli, Attorney
September 22, 2008

Discrimination in the workplace can take many forms, each one of them unjust and ugly. According to the U.S. law, employment discrimination occurs when an company or its representatives adversely single out employees or applicants based on age, race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion or other issues covered by the law.

Let’s take a closer look on the most wide-spread forms of New York employment discrimination:

Age discrimination
The law protects individuals age 40 and over from discrimination based on age. It is unlawful to discriminate against an employee or applicant because of his or her age with respect to any term, condition, or privilege of employment.

Race discrimination
Adverse employment decisions based on stereotypes, differences, traits, or assumptions about the individual performance of certain racial groups are prohibited under the U.S. Law, and the laws of New York.  Employment discrimination lawyers can help you if you feel that you have been discriminated against.

Gender discrimination
Gender or sex discrimination exists when a man or a woman is treated unequally from other employees or applicants, due to their gender.  The laws against sex discrimination cover a number of problems employees may face in the workplace, such as sexual harassment, equal pay, pregnancy discrimination, and parental status or marital discrimination.

Sexual Orientation discrimination
Sexual orientation discrimination results from treating an employee differently because of his or her homosexual, heterosexual or bisexual orientation. If your employer believes or perceives you as having a certain sexual orientation and discriminates against you because of it, it means that your employer is violating the law. If you have ever faced such issues, you might wish to contact a New York employment discrimination attorney.

Disability discrimination
Disability discrimination occurs when an employer discriminates against an employee who is considered disabled under the law. Disabilities may include physical or mental impairments that limit one or more major life activities. The law prohibits employers from discriminating against qualified employees on the basis of their disability. If you are a person with a disability, who can perform the essential functions of the position, then you may well be a qualified job applicant.

Religious discrimination
Employers may not discriminate against employees because of their religious beliefs or practices. Employers must reasonably accommodate the genuine needs of employees to practice their faiths and may not treat an employee more or less favorably because her or she does or does not follow a particular religion.

For more detailed information regarding federal and state law prohibiting employment discrimination visit The Law Office of Borrelli and Associates.  If you would like to get a professional consultation with one of our New York employment discrimination attorneys do not hesitate to contact us at the Law Office of Borrelli and Associates immediately.