Have you been treated unfairly at work because of your race? Racial discrimination at work can affect your pay, your job opportunities, and your health. No one should have to put up with that kind of treatment, and the law gives you the right to speak up.
A Los Angeles racial discrimination attorney from Moon Law Group, PC, can help you understand your rights and decide what to do next. Our team handles these cases every day, and we know how to take action when employers cross the line.
Contact us now to arrange your free, confidential consultation. We’re here to listen and help you move forward, and you pay nothing for us to get started on your case.
How Can a Los Angeles Workplace Racial Discrimination Lawyer Help with My Case?
If you’re dealing with race discrimination at work, a lawyer can explain your rights and fight to hold your employer accountable. At Moon Law Group, we’ve been helping employees across Los Angeles and throughout California since 2007.
As one of the largest plaintiff’s employment law firms in California, our lawyers know how to push back when employers ignore the law. We’ve recovered millions of dollars for tens of thousands of workers who deserved better. Our attorneys know how to build strong cases, including collective and class actions that provide groups of employees with a means to take action together. We don’t back down from big companies that treat people unfairly. Instead, we utilize our skills, resources, and persistence to move forward.
When you hire Moon Law Group, you get a team of trial lawyers on your side who fight hard in court. We don’t pressure clients to settle early; if we believe your case deserves more, we’ll continue pursuing it.
We’re known across California for standing up for workers’ best interests, not their employers. If your company has treated you differently because of your race, talk to us. We’re here to help you take the next step toward accountability.
What Is Workplace Racial Discrimination?
Workplace racial discrimination happens when an employer treats someone unfairly because of their race, skin color, or ethnic background. This type of discrimination can impact a worker’s pay, job duties, promotions, or other terms of employment.
Discrimination can also involve harassment, such as racist jokes, slurs, or rude comments. Sometimes, discrimination manifests in less obvious ways, such as being excluded from meetings or denied training opportunities. The law does not permit this behavior, whether it comes from a boss, a co-worker, or someone else at work.
Workers experiencing racial discrimination have the right to speak up and take legal action when it happens. At Moon Law Group, we’re committed to obtaining justice for employees who are being subjected to such intolerable behavior in the workplace. Contact us today to discover the difference we can make for you.
What Are Typical Signs of Racial Discrimination at Work?
Sometimes, workplace racial discrimination is obvious. At other times, it manifests in subtle ways that still impact your career, income, or sense of job security. Common examples of racial discrimination at work include the following:
- Failure to Hire or Promote – An employer might overlook you for a job or a promotion, even if you meet or exceed the qualifications. If others with less experience or weaker performance move ahead while you stay in the same position, that could be a sign of bias.
- Unequal Compensation – If your employer pays you less than co-workers of another race who do the same work with the same responsibilities, that difference might not be fair or legal. The same goes for bonuses, benefits, and other perks.
- Exclusion from Training or Development Opportunities – Your employer might skip over you for training, special projects, or leadership development opportunities. If this happens often while others continue to grow, your employer could be limiting your chances based on race.
- Exclusion from Company Communication – If your manager or co-workers regularly leave you out of important emails, meetings, or updates, that pattern could make it harder for you to do your job. It might also suggest unequal treatment.
- Race-Based Harassment – Co-workers or supervisors could use racial slurs, tell offensive jokes, or make comments about your background. Even if they claim to be joking, such actions can still create a harmful and potentially illegal work environment.
- Hostile Work Behaviors – You might face bullying, threats, or isolation at work. Sometimes, bosses or co-workers might even display racist symbols or images. These actions can create a workplace that feels unsafe or toxic.
- Sudden Changes in Job Performance Reviews – Your employer might begin to rate you unfairly after treating you well for a long time. If your reviews worsen for no clear reason, especially after you report an issue or speak out, that change might be a form of retaliation.
- Persistent Pressure from Co-Workers or Supervisors to Quit – If supervisors or co-workers want you gone due to your race, they might try to wear you down. You may feel compelled to leave your job due to constant stress, unfair treatment, or rude comments.
- Demotion, Layoff, or Termination – If your employer demotes you, lays you off, or fires you while others keep their roles, and you suspect race played a role, you might have a claim. This is especially true if your performance and conduct gave no reason for the action.
What Laws Protect Me from Racial Discrimination in the Workplace?
If you face racial discrimination at work, both federal and state laws protect you. These laws give you the right to report the problem, ask for a fair solution, and take legal action if necessary.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Title VII makes it illegal for employers to treat workers unfairly because of their race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. This law applies to most employers in the US that have at least 15 employees. It covers hiring, pay, job assignments, promotions, firing, and other work conditions. If your employer treats you differently because of your race, you can file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA)
FEHA offers even stronger protections than federal law. It covers employers with five or more employees and makes it illegal to discriminate based on race in any part of employment. FEHA also protects workers from retaliation if they speak up or file a complaint. In California, you can file a complaint with California’s Civil Rights Department (CRD) if you face racial discrimination at work.
What Damages Could I Recover in a Workplace Racial Discrimination Lawsuit?
If you win a race discrimination lawsuit, the court may award damages (money) to help you make up for what you lost as a result of the discrimination. Types of damages you could recover include the following:
- Unpaid Wages and Paid Leave – You can ask for pay you should have received before your employer cut your hours, skipped your paycheck, or wrongly put you on leave without pay.
- Lost Earnings – If you lost your job or got demoted, the court can order your employer to pay you the money you would have earned if they hadn’t treated you unfairly.
- Value of Lost Job Benefits, Such as Health Insurance and Retirement – You can recover the value of benefits like insurance, bonuses, or retirement contributions that your employer took away.
- Emotional Trauma or Distress – If the discrimination caused you serious stress or anxiety, you could recover compensation for that harm.
- Punitive Damages – If your employer acted in a highly offensive or reckless way, the court may punish them by ordering them to pay extra damages.
How Can I Prove Racial Discrimination at Work?
In order to prove race discrimination at work, you need to show that your employer treated you differently because of your race. You can use emails, text messages, performance reviews, witness statements, and any notes you kept about what happened. Keep copies of any complaints you made to your manager or human resources. The more records you have, the stronger your case will be.
A lawyer from Moon Law Group can help you figure out what evidence to collect and explain how to prove racial discrimination at work using that evidence. They can also talk to witnesses, request company records, and help you explore your legal options. If your employer tries to cover up their actions, your lawyer can push for more information through the legal process.
With the right assistance, you can construct a compelling case that clearly outlines what happened and how it violated the law. Reach out to us at Moon Law Group to speak with a race discrimination lawyer in Los Angeles.
How Long Do I Have to File a Racial Discrimination Claim?
If you want to take legal action for race discrimination at work, you need to be aware of various deadlines that could apply to your situation.
California’s statute of limitations gives you three years from the date of the last act of discrimination to file a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD). If you wish to sue your employer, you must obtain a Right-to-Sue notice from the CRD. After you obtain this notice, you have one year to file your racial discrimination lawsuit in state court.
If you want to file under federal law, you must file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) within 300 days of the discrimination. If you want to file a federal lawsuit, you have 90 days to sue in federal court after the EEOC gives you a Right-to-Sue notice.
An attorney from Moon Law Group can help you decide where and how to file your claim and make sure your case stays on track so you don’t lose your chance to demand accountability.
Contact a Los Angeles Workplace Racial Discrimination Attorney Today
If you’re dealing with race discrimination at work, talk to someone who can help. The Los Angeles racial discrimination lawyers at Moon Law Group take these matters seriously and fight hard for workers across California. Contact us today to schedule your free, confidential case review. You pay nothing for us to get started on your case, and there are no fees unless we successfully resolve your matter.