Taking Action Against Workplace Discrimination in Chattanooga
Taking action against workplace discrimination in Chattanooga is a difficult endeavor. When our employers neglect our rights as workers, we may feel powerless to stop them. Fortunately, there are legal options that allow victims of workplace discriminatory behaviors to hold employers accountable. You do not have to feel as though enduring discrimination is the only way to retain employment. Let an experienced attorney review your case and if possible, build a case against a nefarious employer.
Federal and State Authorities that Oversee Workplace Discrimination Claims
On the federal level, the agency responsible for investigating and enforcing discrimination laws is the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The Tennessee authority who is responsible for investigating and enforcing discrimination laws is the Tennessee Human Rights Commission.
Tennessee Statute of Limitations for Workplace Discrimination Cases
Under Tennessee State discrimination laws, employees must file a workplace discrimination claim within one year from the date of the discrimination. They are allowed to file that lawsuit in state court without first exhausting administrative remedies with the administrative agencies. However, Tennessee laws on discrimination are frequently less broad and provide fewer protections than their federal counterparts. Federal laws require that administrative remedies must be exhausted by filing an EEOC charge or a Tennessee Human Rights Commission charge within a certain amount of time.
It is critically important in most cases to file an administrative charge as well. In Tennessee, for most types of cases, that charge must be filed within 300 days. When it comes to disability discrimination cases involving reasonable accommodation, it is best in those cases to file within 180 days. Additionally, in these types of cases, it is not always clear when the statute of limitations starts. If a person is terminated and his or her whole case is about the wrongful termination, then the termination date would probably coincide with the start of the statute of limitation’s time limit. But in other cases, it might be less clear.
If employees have been harassed while on the job and they have a case based on the harassment and then get fired, the case related to the harassment might start on that on the last date that they were harassed. It might start before the termination date. Overall, it is difficult to determine the deadline. An employee would be encouraged to consult with a Chattanooga attorney as soon as possible and to not delay.
Employees, Employers, and Chattanooga Anti-Discrimination Requirements
Anti-discrimination laws in Tennessee State apply to employers who have eight or more employees, and so the maximum an employer would be able to hire before being answerable to those laws would be seven. Under federal law, an employer is bound by those if they have 15 or more employees so the maximum before they are answerable to those laws would be 14 employees. Regardless, speaking with an attorney could prove beneficial if employees suspect workplace discrimination in Chattanooga.
How Likely Are Employees to Succeed at Addressing Discrimination on Their Own?
Employees who personally address and mitigate instances of workplace discrimination are less likely to succeed than a lawsuit with legal representation. If there is ongoing discrimination, employees should do everything in their power to get their employer to address it, and that means they should look carefully at the employee handbook and follow it to the letter. They should report up the chain of command as far as they have to do to get it addressed. They should talk with a Chattanooga attorney as soon as possible because an attorney could give them some direction about the types of words they might want to use in their communications, the best ways to document suspected discrimination, and other choices that come up in these cases that are difficult for a layperson to answer. When it comes to taking legal action, employees are often much more successful with an attorney. These types of cases are extremely difficult and they are extremely hard-fought. Employers frequently fight with overwhelming resources to take advantage of every possible advantage. An experienced Chattanooga employee attorney could certainly help the employee survive the difficult legal landscape.
Connect with an Attorney Today
Addressing discrimination is often a scary prospect. When we depend on our jobs to consistently offer work, it makes us feel stuck when we think we must also endure discriminatory behaviors. However, this is a misnomer. With the help of an experienced worker’s rights attorney, taking action against workplace discrimination in Chattanooga is possible. However, building these cases is often challenging and requires time and evidence. The sooner you reach out the an attorney, the better you could feel about holding discriminatory employers accountable for their actions.
