Employee-side employment law
Workplace discrimination lawyers
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Were you treated differently for who you are?
Discrimination is rarely admitted directly. The analysis tests the employer's explanation against documents, timing, patterns, decision-maker statements, and the treatment of comparable employees. Coverage depends on the protected characteristic, employer, work location, and law involved.
Facts worth a closer look
- Different rules or discipline for comparable employees
- Protected-class comments close in time to a decision
- A pattern excluding one group from pay, promotion, or assignments
- An explanation contradicted by records or replaced over time
Records that may matter
- Applications, evaluations, compensation, and promotion records
- Policies and examples of how they were applied to others
- Messages or statements that may show bias
- Comparator details such as role, supervisor, conduct, and outcome
How the law frames it
How discrimination claims are evaluated
Federal statutes prohibit covered employers from discriminating based on specified characteristics, including race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, and genetic information.
Different federal statutes use different employer-size thresholds, procedures, and remedies. Federal employees and applicants follow a separate EEO process with short contact periods.
State and local law can differ by adding protected categories, covering smaller employers, changing standards or deadlines, and providing different remedies.
Source guidance
Source reviewed July 2026
How location affects your case
This page is general educational information, not legal advice. The cited federal sources establish a starting point. Coverage, defenses, procedures, and deadlines can change under state or local law and depend on the employer, forum, claim, and facts.
Employee-side experience
David Manes
An employee-side employment litigator and law firm founder focused on sexual harassment and workplace discrimination who has overseen more than 3,500 matters since 2013.
Experience and credentialsAn inquiry does not guarantee assignment to a particular attorney.
How the review works
Start with your contact details. Our intake team will ask what happened and discuss whether we can help. The initial review is free. If we propose representation, we explain the scope and fees before you decide.
No documents are needed to request a review. Submitting an inquiry does not establish representation or protect a deadline.
Related guide
How to file a discrimination or harassment charge
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