Fort Worth, TX - Workplaces in Fort Worth and other cities are supposed to treat workers fairly. They are also supposed to make important decisions about their employees based on objective reasons, such as the person’s merit and qualifications or the company’s financial situation. When an employer illegally uses some of the person’s characteristics to take actions against them, this fits the formal definition of discrimination. Some firms that focus on labor law in Texas can handle these issues for local clients. The definition of employment discriminationWhen a worker is adversely affected in some way due to their status as a member of a protected class, this is considered discrimination. Protected classes in the American legal system include race, gender, national origin, religion, and sexual orientation. There are also protections from discrimination that extend to disabled workers, aging workers, and women while they are pregnant. If these conditions are used as a reason to deny employment, withhold benefits or promotions, demote someone, terminate their position, commit wage theft, or various other problems, the employer may be sued. Pre-textual reasons for discriminationIt is rare that an employer will admit to discriminatory motives outright. It is more common for the employer to try to use a legitimate reason after a person has been targeted for discrimination. For example, the employer may scrutinize the employee more heavily than others to look for mistakes or other reasons to end their employment. Another common tactic is to use performance reviews as a tool to eliminate or demote employees for discriminatory reasons. An employee who has worked consistently for years may suddenly start to receive poor performance reviews as a way for the employer to illegitimately eliminate their position. Each discrimination case is different, and the issue of whether the employer actually harmed a worker for an illegal reason can depend on the facts surrounding their specific conduct and the evidence available. Damages available to victims of discrimination

Gavel; image by Bill Oxford, via Unsplash.com.

An employer who is found liable for discrimination may have to compensate the victim in various ways. This can include lost income and wages, costs of finding new employment, and any other costs that the victim incurred as a direct result of the employer’s illegal actions. The total amount of compensation can vary based on things like the victim’s salary and the nature of the employer’s illegal conduct.   Meeting with a local employment lawyerMoore and Associates is a firm that handles labor and employment law issues for clients in Fort Worth and other cities in Texas. Their lawyers can assist with unpaid wage lawsuits, discrimination, sexual harassment and related workplace problems