How to Hire the Best Discrimination Lawyer in GA

If you’re in an unfortunate situation where you’re dealing with workplace discrimination, you might be wondering how to hire the best discrimination lawyer in GA. Anytime you’re the victim of on-the-job mistreatment, you should contact a lawyer right away so you can put an immediate end to the illegal behavior and possibly recover the monetary compensation that you deserve. 

Morgan & Morgan has been handling these types of cases for decades, and it would be our privilege to help you as well. Contact us today to set up a free initial consultation so we can discuss your case with you and match you with a discrimination lawyer in Georgia.

Why You Need a Discrimination Lawyer in GA

Whenever you think you’re experiencing workplace discrimination or harassment, it’s a good idea to contact an attorney right away. Many people believe that they can simply handle the problem on their own, but this isn’t recommended. If you’re being discriminated against and you’ve reported it to your employer or supervisor, they’ll likely take you more seriously if you’ve already consulted with an attorney. It’s illegal for them to retaliate against you for reporting this unlawful behavior, but unfortunately, it still occurs. 

Additionally, your employer is possibly much more experienced handling discrimination issues than you are, and they likely have their own attorneys on call. As soon as you report this behavior, they will certainly contact their attorney and start working on the issue behind the scenes. They have many more resources than you do, and they know this. You will be at a significant disadvantage if you don’t have an attorney on your side. 

Further, if you don’t have a lawyer, it’s very difficult to succeed in an employment discrimination case if it goes to court, and your employer also knows this. Without an attorney by your side, there’s no real incentive for your employer to do the right thing because they know how difficult it will be for you to prove your case in court without a lawyer. There’s evidence to gather and present, expert witnesses to consult, and so much more that has to be done. Don’t make the mistake of trying to go up against your employer alone.

Lastly, federal statutes are not as strict as the laws are in some states, so you’ll want to speak with an attorney so you can decide if you should file a state or federal anti-discrimination lawsuit or complaint. 

How to Hire the Best Discrimination Lawyer in GA

Discrimination in the workplace is common and very difficult to deal with. It’s essential to contact an attorney right away. In order to hire the best lawyer, you should take the following steps:

Research

One of the most important things you need to do before hiring a discrimination attorney is to do your research and make sure you find the most capable attorney. The first step could be an internet search for the best discrimination lawyer in GA. This will undoubtedly pull up more results than you could ever possibly sift through. However, it’s a good idea to take a few names at a time and start researching them. Have you heard of them before? Do any of your friends or family members know anything about them? Google their name and put the word review after it so you can see what kind of reviews former clients have left for them.  

Next, you can check with the state bar association to ensure that their license is valid. You should also be able to research whether any disciplinary actions have been filed against them. This is an excellent way to ensure that the attorney you’re hiring is currently licensed and in good standing. 

Additionally, you can check websites such as Super Lawyers and see if any of the attorneys you’re considering have been named. Super Lawyers lists the best attorneys by practice area, location, and reputation.

Interview

Once you’ve researched a handful of discrimination lawyers in GA, you can move on to the interview stage. This involves setting up free consultations with as many attorneys as you believe is necessary. All reputable workplace discrimination lawyers should offer an initial consultation for free. At this meeting, you can discuss your case and tell them what specifically is going on at work. They will be able to tell you if they think you have a valid legal claim or not and whether they wish to take on your case. The worst case scenario is you spend a fair amount of time speaking with law firms. But because of all of the free consultations, you shouldn’t have to spend any money. 

Hire

Once you’ve decided who to hire, it’s time to get working. Your attorney should tell you exactly what to expect going forward, and they will let you know how you can help. You’ll likely need to help them gather evidence, such as work communications, contracts, witness information, and any other documents or information they think might be necessary to help prove your claim.

Relevant Anti-Discrimination Statutes in GA

There are federal discrimination laws that protect workers from discrimination, such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, The Equal Pay Act of 1963, The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, and more. However, states also have their own anti-discrimination laws as well. Unlike many states that have several different anti-discrimination statutes, Georgia only has a few 

• Georgia Age Discrimination Act

The Georgia Age Discrimination Act makes it illegal for employers to discriminate against individuals between the ages of 40 and 50. This applies to all public and private employers, regardless of how many people they employ. An employer is not permitted to hire, employ, license, or fire someone on the grounds of age alone so long as the position does not require an age distinction to be made. As long as an individual is qualified physically and mentally, and has the training and experience to satisfactorily perform the job, this statute applies. 

• Equal Employment for Persons With Disabilities Code

The Equal Employment For Persons With Disabilities Code makes it illegal for employers to discriminate against someone because of a disability. This statute applies to all public and private employers who employ 15 or more people. According to the statute, an individual with a disability is defined as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of that person’s major life activities. This definition does not include a person who is addicted to alcohol or a controlled substance. 

• Georgia’s Equal Pay Act

The Equal Pay Act makes it illegal for employers to pay employees of different sexes unequal wages for the same work. This statute only applies to public and private employers who employ 10 or more people. Employers must provide equal pay when a job requires the same or essentially the same knowledge, skill, effort, and responsibility. 

• The Georgia Fair Employment Practices Act

This act makes it illegal for employers to discriminate on the basis of race, color, disability, religion, sex, national origin, or age. This statute applies only to state agencies with 15 or more employees. This is unique because most states have a similar statute that applies to both private and public employers.