Despite the attention given to discrimination in the workplace and the laws, both federal and state, enacted to prevent it, discrimination remains a pervasive issue for workers and a liability for employers. If you have been a victim of workplace discrimination or are facing an employment discrimination claim, consulting with an experienced employment attorney is a wise choice.
At S.T. Legal Group, our team fights vigorously for clients’ rights, whether they are employees who have been discriminated against or employers wrongly accused of discrimination. Well-grounded in legal knowledge, our Deerfield employment discrimination lawyers have the complex skill set to tackle these cases through deft negotiations outside of the courtroom and sharp litigation within its walls.
Any employment decisions based on legally protected characteristics are considered discriminatory. Employment decisions include those involving:
According to federal and state law, harassment is considered a form of discrimination.
Under state law, employers cannot make employment decisions (e.g. hiring, firing, compensating, promoting, training), based on protected characteristics, such as:
Also, employers are prohibited from retaliating against employees who file discrimination complaints or lawsuits. Although you may feel like an underdog now, contacting a lawyer in Deerfield will empower you. Once we take you on as a client, we will work hard to give you the upper hand. If you are an employer who has been unjustly confronted by a disgruntled employee, we will help protect your financial interests and your reputation.
It is possible to trace the progress of the civil rights movement by checking out federal anti-discrimination laws and the years of their passage as noted below:
It should be noted that most federal laws against employment discrimination apply only to companies with 15 or more employees, (20 in the case of ADEA), while state and local laws are more inclusive.
With the passage of the Illinois Human Rights Act (IHRA) of 2020, not only were more protected categories added, but businesses with only one employee were also prohibited from engaging in employment discrimination. The IHRA also provides increased protection for disabled employees by using a broader definition of “disability” or “handicap.” Also, Illinois state law makes “aiding and abetting” discrimination illegal.
When you come to S.T. Legal Group for legal counsel and representation, you will be pleased to find we are as compassionate as we are competent. Services we provide include:
If your employment discrimination case goes to litigation, our lawyers in Deerfield have the legal prowess to help you confront the challenges you face and the intelligence to create a first-rate courtroom strategy.
Though as an employee, you may feel like David fighting the Goliath of your company, we have the tactical skills to level the playing field. Depending on the particular circumstances of your case, we may be able to obtain damages for you, such as:
If your employer’s misconduct has been especially egregious, involving, for example, physical threats or public humiliation, the court may also award you punitive damages to punish your employer and deter others from engaging in similarly repugnant conduct.
If the charges against you and your company are false, our law firm will work vigorously to disprove the allegations and hold your accuser accountable.
We are well aware that employment discrimination threatens not only your civil rights but your reputation and your livelihood. Realizing how high the stakes are, we will support you every step of the way and will pull out all the stops in our efforts to win you a just outcome. Contact S.T. Legal Group today to evaluate your case.
S.T. Legal Group discrimination attorneys represent employers and employees in Deerfield, Lake, and Cook Counties and throughout the state of Illinois.