There are Federal and State anti-discrimination laws in place to protect employees from discrimination in the workplace. Marital status discrimination happens when an employer treats an employee unfairly because of bias against the employee’s marital status. The marital status could include employees that are single, married, divorced, widowed, separated, or with a domestic partner. If you feel your employer has unjustly discriminated against you because of your marital status, seek legal counsel to protect your rights. Contact JML Law in Long Beach at 818-610-8800 for a free consultation. Let our Marital Status Discrimination Attorneys ensure your rights are being enforced and possibly seek damages owed to you for enduring discrimination at the hands of your employer.
Protected Classes
Federal laws that protect workers from discrimination are the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Equal Pay Act of 1963, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Federal law makes it illegal to discriminate, in any State, because of:
- Race
- Color
- National origin
- Religion
- Sex (including pregnancy)
- Disability
- Discrimination against those 40 years old and older
- Citizenship status
California, however, has its own protections for employees under California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act, which is more strict. California state law also forbids discrimination because of:
- Disability (physical or mental)
- Marital status
- Sexual orientation
- Gender identity and gender expression
- AIDS/HIV
- Political activities or affiliations
- Military or veteran status, and
- Status as a victim of domestic violence, assault, or stalking.
Employers are not only responsible for their acts of marital status discrimination, but could also be held liable for their supervisors discriminating against employees because of their marital status. This type of discrimination is known as Vicarious Employer Liability. If an employer has been made aware of any acts of marital status discrimination conducted by their supervisors or management and they do nothing, they could be held vicariously liable for these discriminatory acts. California’s discrimination laws offer effective and strong legal protections for employees. Any employer found guilty of marital status discrimination could face penalties, and punitive damages and be forced to compensate the affected employee for lost wages, court costs, attorney’s fees, possible damages for emotional distress, and out-of-pocket costs.
What To Do
Never should any type of discrimination be tolerated. Employees are not only protected by law against marital status discrimination in the workplace but are also legally protected against retaliation from their employers for filing a claim. While employed you should feel safe to work and be given every opportunity to succeed and advance like any other employee. Employers are simply not allowed by law to discriminate against their employees because of their marital status. If this has happened to you, seek legal representation to discuss how best to proceed. Contact JML Law in Long Beach today at 818-610-8800 or click here to request a free consultation with one of our Marital Status Discrimination attorneys. Filing a Marital Status Discrimination claim can be difficult and complex. Allow one of our expert attorneys to hear your claim and ensure you gain the best possible outcome.
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Every case is unique and needs to be evaluated by our experienced lawyers. If you find yourself in the marital status discrimination,
