Lawmakers approved the still-controversial Civil Rights Act way back in 1964. This mandate outlawed discrimination, not only at restaurants and schools but also at workplaces. Discrimination in public buildings is largely gone, but racial and other kinds of job bias remain in companies throughout Chicagoland. Although strong anti-discrimination laws are on the books, enforcement is often lax. More on that is below.
When government lawyers do not protect workers from job bias, a dedicated Chicago employment discrimination attorney from the Law Office of Mitchell A. Kline stands in the gap. For several decades, we have focused exclusively on upholding the rights of injured workers. So, we have developed proven methods that have obtained life-changing results for our clients. We are confident these methods will produce the same result in your case.
Intentional job bias persists in some workplaces because, in many cases, employers don’t realize their practices are discriminatory. They may even believe they are doing the right thing.
Pregnancy discrimination is a good example. Employers may think it’s a good idea to transfer a pregnant employee to a lower-paying light-duty assignment or lower-paying day shift. That might be true. But mothers, not their bosses, should make those decisions.
In other cases, employers don’t care. As mentioned, employment discrimination enforcement is hit-and-miss at best. Therefore, many bosses discriminate against their workers, mostly for power reasons, because the risk of getting caught is minimal.
That may be true when government lawyers and bureaucrats investigate discrimination claims. But a Chicago employment discrimination lawyer keeps working to obtain the compensation these victims need and deserve.
Job bias could also be accidental. Many companies have discriminatory policies that seem non-discriminatory.
“English-only” rules are a good example. To build a sense of teamwork, many bosses require their workers to only speak English on the job. That policy discriminates against people with limited English skills.
Initially, most job bias victims must file complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. This federal agency has local offices, but local lawyers and investigators take their orders from Washington. These government bureaucrats often care little about workers’ rights in the Prairie State, especially if the political winds are blowing in a certain direction.
So, do not be surprised if the local EEOC office does not take your case. In fact, if the local office takes action, that is a surprise.
In contrast, a Chicago employment discrimination lawyer cares nothing about politics. Your lawyer only cares about you.
As a result, a lawyer works hard to diligently build a strong employment discrimination claim. A solid, evidence-based claim withstands legal defenses, so these victims obtain maximum compensation in court. Perhaps more importantly, an attorney shines a spotlight on job bias problems so reckless or thoughtless employers change their unfair policies.
Job bias victims have legal options in Illinois. For a free consultation with an experienced Chicago employment discrimination attorney, contact the Law Office of Mitchell A. Kline. We routinely handle matters throughout Chicagoland.