Nashville Discrimination Lawyer

Workplace Discrimination Attorney in Nashville, TN

Most Tennessee workers have protections under state and federal laws. If your employer violates your employee rights, you may be able to recover financial damages and other remedies. An experienced Nashville discrimination lawyer can help fight for your rights and seek the maximum recovery.

The attorneys at Yezbak Law represent employees who have suffered illegal discrimination and/or harassment in the workplace. We have decades of combined experience bringing cases under the federal, state, and local laws, like Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, and the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act. We have represented clients before federal and state courts,the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and other venues where discrimination and/or harassment claims are filed. We workwith our clients to evaluate their discrimination and/or harassment claims, to identify their goals, and to pursue justice for the wrong done to them.

What is Employment Discrimination?

If you are an employee who has experienced discrimination or harassment in the workplace at Nashville, you know all too well how painful and career-altering such conduct can be.

Of note, the EEOC reported 67,448 charges of workplace discrimination in one year, with the most frequently cited workplace discrimination claims being retaliation, disability, race, and sex. In Tennessee, there were 3,107 EEOC workplace discrimination claims in the same year. With so many claims being investigated, it’s important to understand what conduct can be considered discrimination.

Retaliation occurs when adverse actions are taken against an employee because the employee has engaged in a protected activity. Legally protected activities include complaining about illegal discrimination, using or requesting to use FMLA leave, using or requesting to use Workers Compensation, using or requesting to use parental leave or related time away from work (including lactation breaks), organizing a union, filing a whistleblower complaint, testifying in court against your employer, or asking/complaining about pay errors. Other types of complaints may not have any legal protections against retaliation.

Discrimination is less-favorable treatment based on a person’s race, age, gender/sex, disability, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, or veteran status. Discrimination can take many forms and can negatively affect your hiring, conditions of employment, compensation, or prospects for promotion. It can even get you fired.

Harassment involves conduct that includes unwelcome advances or other conduct that is so offensive, intimidating, or abusive that it changes your work environment or even affects your performance. We understand that harassment in the workplace can take many forms and can dramatically harm your relationship with the employer, your opportunities for success at your job, and your emotional and physical well-being.

If you are an employee who has experienced discrimination or harassment in the workplace, you know all too well how painful and career-altering such conduct can be.

What Are My Employee Rights?

Nashville employees have certain rights under both Tennessee and federal law. As an employee, you have the right to:

• A safe work environment that’s free from hazardous/dangerous conditions that could potentially cause a workplace injury or cause you to suffer from a work-related illness
• Reasonable privacy
• Pay equality
• Fair wages
• Receive at least the federal minimum wage, although there are a few minimum wage exceptions
• Not be discriminated against in your workplace on the basis of a protected status or in retaliation for making a protected complaint
• Paid or unpaid employment leave, including maternity, pregnancy, family, military, and medical leave (depending on the size of the employer and on how long and for how many hours an employee has worked for the employer)
• Reasonable accommodation of working conditions for a disability
• Not be terminated for any illegal reasons

If you believe your rights may have been violated, it’s important to remember that there may be a time limit for pursuing claims against an employer. Consider consulting an experienced employment attorney to review the facts and assess your case. An attorney can review your circumstances and help explore the potential first steps for a legal claim. They can help decide whether you can seek damages, and they can often help will work to maximize your recovery.

What Types of Cases Does a Nashville Employment Discrimination Attorney Handle?

Employment law concerns a variety of legal topics, and a Nashville employment attorney can handle many different types of legal matters, including, but not limited to, the following:

• Gender and sex discrimination (including discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation)
• Race discrimination
• National origin discrimination
• Age discrimination
• Disability discrimination
• Pregnancy discrimination
• Religious discrimination
• Military discrimination
• Hostile work environment due to discrimination or retaliation
• Workers Compensation retaliation
• Accommodation Retaliation
• FMLA retaliation
• Harassment based on membership in a protected group as listed above
• Wrongful termination
• Retaliation for complaints concerning the above matters

What Types of Damages Are Available for Discrimination Claims?

Each Nashville employment case is different, and compensation typically depends on case-specific details. Potentially, your attorney can pursue damages for:

• Bills paid for related medical care or any mental health treatment you received
• Wage loss and lost employee benefits
• Emotional distress damages
• Your attorney’s fees and the costs necessary to file your claim
• Any other incurred expenses that are directly connected to your claim

If we take you on as a client, we will discuss your potential claims and their value, and with our support you will make the decisions when it’s time to negotiate with your employer. Unfortunately some cases cannot be settled via negotiation, and the matter must be pursued in court. We guide our clients through the court process from giving a sworn statement, to being interviewed by the employer’s attorney, through testimony in the courtroom before a jury. Whether your case ends with a negotiated settlement or a court judgment, we will guide you through the process and make sure nothing is left “on the table.”

Why Should I Hire a Nashville Lawyer?

Employment laws are often complex, and an experienced attorney can help address your employee discrimination situation. They can discuss your likelihood of success with a claim and represent your interests. An attorney can:

• Explain the complexities of any relevant employment laws
• Help determine what options for recovery are available in your situation
• Advocate for your employee rights
• Support you through what can be a stressful time
• Protect your career
• Help evaluate the situation and provide reliable legal advice

If we take you on as a client, we will discuss your potential claims and their value, and with our support you will make the decisions when it’s time to negotiate with your employer. Unfortunately, some cases cannot be settled via negotiation, and the matter must be pursued in court. We guide our clients through the administrative and court process from giving a sworn statement, to being interviewed by the employer’s attorney, through testimony in the courtroom before a jury. Whether your case ends with a negotiated settlement or a court judgment, we will guide you through the process and make sure nothing is left “on the table.”

Often employees won’t take legal action against their employer for fear of losing their jobs or other forms of retaliation. But if the problems are not resolved, the situation tends to worsen. If you have thought of leaving your job due to treatment that violates your civil rights, consider having an attorney review the facts first. Resigning your position may make it more difficult to pursue a claim or maximize your recovery.

Consult A Knowledgeable Nashville Discrimination Lawyer – Call Yezbak Law Offices

If you need legal help with an employment discrimination matter, contact Yezbak Law Offices or send a voicemail or text to our intake number 615-250-2000 to schedule a confidential consultation. The intake team will work with you to create a file of case facts and any key documents you may have. Key documents include records of complaints you have made to supervisors, leadership, or HR in which you specifically identify discrimination as the problem, as well as any responses received. If you have created a timeline of events or a list of economic damages, please share that as well. If not, our intake team will work with you to create one. If you have already filed a charge with a federal or state entity, please provide a copy of that along with any position statement or rebuttal that may have been filed subsequently.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Nashville, TN Sexual Harassment Laws

What Damages Can I Potentially Recover From My Nashville Hostile Work Environment Claim?

If you are a Nashville worker who’s experienced a hostile work environment, the amount you might be able to get for your damages typically depends on case-specific factors like whether you lost any wages because of the hostile work environment, whether you incurred out-of-pocket expenses, and whether you experienced emotional distress. An experienced local attorney can help discuss an estimate of the damages you might recover for your specific employment claim.

What Evidence Should I Gather To Prove a Hostile Work Environment in Tennessee?

In Tennessee, in order to prove a hostile work environment, it can be helpful to gather evidence that shows the offensive/intimidating conduct was sufficiently pervasive, happened often, and created a completely negative work environment, which impacted your ability to work effectively. You can bolster your claim by keeping copies of all complaints and any responses, gathering incident details and documentation. You will want to keep witness contact information, emails, text messages, or any other evidence supporting and solidifying your claim, but be careful not to violate any company rules, such as a policy against using your work email to forward items to your personal email account.

How Do I Report a Hostile Work Environment in Nashville?

To report a hostile work environment in Nashville, it’s important to file a complaint with your company’s Human Resources department or through your company’s reporting procedures, which are often outlined in your company handbook. Remember that not every complaint is a protected activity, so you have to specify the legally discriminatory or retaliatory reason that you see as the cause of the problems. If you don’t mention the legal basis for your protection, then your complaint won’t be protected against retaliation, including a retaliatory termination.

Always keep a copy of your communications about the problem. If your complaint is unsuccessful in stopping the inappropriate workplace behavior, you can file a discrimination charge against the company with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

Seek out an employment attorney who can evaluate your specific situation. They may discuss pursuing legal action and next steps.

What Kind of Lawyer Do I Need if Someone Is Harassing Me at Work?

If you believe you’re experiencing harassment at work, it’s important to consult an employment lawyer with experience handling harassment claims. These cases are challenging for the employee and you should have an attorney who will vigorously represent your interests and fully prepare you for each step of the legal process.

An attorney can discuss your specific situation, discuss whether the harassment was unlawful, and provide legal advice.