Race Discrimination - Austin

Contact an Austin employment lawyer in our office if you are the victim of race discrimination, retaliation, or hostile work environment. Although the existence and severity of race discrimination is often debated in the media, race discrimination still exists in the workplace. Title VII of the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and the Texas Labor Code both prohibit many employers from discriminating against an employee based on race. Additionally, an employer is prohibited from retaliating against an employee because the employee opposes or complains about race discrimination in the workplace. Schedule a consultation with an Austin employment lawyer with our employment law firm if you would like to discuss your claim for race discrimination in the workplace.

Title VII and the Texas Labor Code prohibit many employers from discriminating against employees based on race, color, or national origin. However, both laws only apply to employers with fifteen or more employees.

Under these laws, the term employee is often broadly defined. For example, employers often mistakenly classify employees as independent contractors to avoid payroll taxes and overtime. These independent contractors might count towards the fifteen-employee minimum when bringing a claim for race discrimination in the workplace. Because the law is complicated, you should discuss your claim with an employment lawyer to better understand your rights. Contact our firm to schedule a consultation with an Austin employment lawyer.

Provided that the employer meets certain requirements, the law prohibits an employer from altering the terms and conditions of employment based on the race or color of an employee. For example, an employer cannot terminate, suspend, demote, or other discipline an employee because of the employee’s race or color. However, many employers will seek to mask their discriminatory motives. If you would like to learn more about your employment rights, contact us today to schedule a consultation with an Austin employment lawyer.

Although race and national origin are not the same, these claims are often confused and the differences mistakenly ignored. Race discrimination claims have to do with discrimination that is based on an employee's actual or perceived race. For example, a race discrimination claim might arise if all Caucasian employees are promoted and all African American employees are demoted.

A national origin claim might occur when discrimination is based on the national origin of an employee, regardless of the employee’s race. For example, discrimination based on an employee's accent is more closely related to national origin discrimination than race discrimination. This is because language is largely tied to geographic location, which may be populated by people of numerous races.

If you believe that you may have a claim for race discrimination or national origin discrimination, schedule a consultation with an Austin employment law today.

The law prohibits most employers from retaliating against an employee for opposing or complaining about unlawful discrimination in the workplace. This includes complaints of race discrimination and national origin discrimination. Race discrimination claims and retaliation claims are separate claims and do not need to be brought at the same time. In many cases, a one claim may be stronger than another claim. However, unless an employee makes the appropriate complaint, the employee does not gain retaliation protection. If you are the victim of discrimination or retaliation in the workplace, contact an Austin employment lawyer in our firm to discuss your rights.

Contact our Austin office to speak with an Austin employment lawyer if you are the victim of unlawful discrimination, workplace retaliation, hostile work environment, wrongful termination, or other employment dispute. Employment laws often have short deadlines. You could lose your claim if you do not bring your claims within the appropriate time period.