Signs of Unfair Treatment at Work

Employees may face many different types of unfair treatment at work. Not all forms of unfair treatment are illegal. For example, a manager may favor one employee because they support the same football team. Although this is unfair, it is not illegal.

The law only prohibits unfair treatment that is connected to specific types of discrimination.  

In some cases, discrimination or harassment in the workplace is illegal. According to federal legislation, employers cannot discriminate based on the following protected characteristics: 

• Race or color
• Age
• Disability
• Pregnancy
• Sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity
• Religion
• Nationality 

If your superior has treated you unfairly because of one of these protected characteristics, you may have a valid workplace discrimination suit. Speaking with an attorney can help you determine the signs of unfair treatment at work.

Harassing and discriminatory behaviors can cause employees to experience a hostile working environment. No worker should have to deal with the emotional and personal harm resulting from this behavior.

Unfair treatment in the workplace can take many different forms. Some of the most common examples of workplace discrimination include the following: 

• Spreading false rumors about employees or coworkers
• Passing up a deserving employee for a promotion
• Wrongfully denying a worker a pay raise
• Using racial or ethnic slurs in the workplace
• Paying employees less 
• Demoting or firing employees
• Laying off workers because they are 40 years of age or older
• Making unwanted sexual or overly personal comments 

These are only some examples of the signs of unfair treatment at work. If your employer has engaged in any of these or other unfair actions, and the action was related to your membership in a protected class, you may be owed significant compensation.

When you have been treated unfairly at work, taking the right steps to protect yourself is critical. You should never simply accept a hostile working environment. 

There are federal protections to remedy this type of situation. In many cases, state laws offer even more expansive worker protections. Speaking with a skilled attorney at the firm of Morgan & Morgan can help you understand how to secure a positive outcome. 

If you are being mistreated at your job, take the following proactive steps:

Document the Harassment or Unfair Treatment

The best course of action following an instance of harassment is to document the circumstances. This is especially true if you have experienced more than one incident. 

Gathering evidence and documentation of the unfair treatment against you is critical for any resulting claim. Recording what you have been through will help to corroborate your version of events. 

Some of the most common examples of evidence in workplace harassment cases include the following:

• Saved emails
• Text messages containing inappropriate language
• Statements from coworkers or managers
• Internal company memos
• Reports from those who witnessed the unfair treatment 

This information and evidence will be critical if you pursue a workplace harassment lawsuit. As time passes, it can become difficult to recover evidence and information regarding your experience. 

For that reason, you should gather evidence as soon as possible. It is also a good idea to compile detailed notes about your version of the story. This ensures that you have an accurate record of the immediate emotional and personal impacts of the unfair treatment. 

Report the Unfair Treatment or Harassment

When you have been treated unfairly, it is vital to report the incident as soon as possible. In many companies, employees should contact the human resources (HR) department to report an incident or pattern of harassment.  

When you report your case, make sure to take any evidence with you. This will help to support your claim and prove that you were treated unreasonably. 

Failing to officially report harassment to the appropriate department may cause your employer to take your claim less seriously.

Some people mistakenly worry that they might be fired for reporting a complaint. In reality, filing a complaint will help protect you from inappropriate termination. 

Employers are legally prohibited from firing employees because they have spoken out about unfair treatment. If you are wrongfully fired, this will strengthen the claim that you have been treated unfairly. 

If you are concerned about possible retaliation from your employer, make sure to contact a member of the legal team at Morgan and Morgan. We have the knowledge and experience needed to effectively fight on your behalf.  

Respect Your Own Needs and Feelings

You should never attempt to justify your employer’s wrongful actions. If you are being harassed or mistreated, it is not your fault. 

Workplace mistreatment can cause significant levels of worry, stress, and anxiety. Victims should never downplay the harms that they have suffered. This will only make the resulting psychological damage worse. 

In extreme cases, victims of harassment may also suffer physical trauma. No matter what types of damages you have experienced, never downplay your own suffering. 

Maintaining a healthy amount of self-care in the aftermath of workplace harassment is critical. Family members and friends may be able to provide trustworthy advice and support.  

In some instances, victims need to see a therapist or counselor to treat the emotional damage caused by workplace harassment. You should never hesitate to seek the help you need in the aftermath of being mistreated. 

The caring legal professionals at Morgan & Morgan will take your claim seriously. We passionately believe that all victims deserve to seek justice when they have been harassed or treated unfairly. 

Contact us immediately if you have noticed the signs of unfair treatment at work.

When you have made a formal complaint about workplace harassment or discrimination, your employer is not legally allowed to retaliate against you. This is to ensure that employees feel comfortable making honest reports about harassment in the workplace. 

While most states operate on an “at-will” employment model, businesses are not allowed to terminate workers for just any reason. If someone is treated unfavorably because they are pursuing their right not to be harassed at work, the business is behaving illegally. 

Employers are not legally allowed to retaliate against an employee for any of the following protected actions: 

• Complaining about discrimination in the workplace
• Complaining about instances of harassment
• Refusing to engage in illegal behavior
• Requesting benefits or overtime pay to which they are legally entitled

Businesses must treat employees who engage in these actions fairly and with respect. Those supervisors or managers who take the following retaliatory acts may be held legally liable: 

• Excluding workers from opportunities or activities
• Reducing an employee’s hours or pay
• Assigning an employee to a less desirable position
• Harassing or bullying an employee
• Writing unreasonably negative performance reviews
• Unlawfully terminating an employee

If you have been retaliated against after you complained of workplace discrimination, do not wait. Contact a skilled litigant at the firm of Morgan and Morgan to pursue financial recovery from the accountable parties. 

Yes. The skilled attorneys at the firm of Morgan and Morgan are paid through contingency fees. With this payment structure, clients agree to pay using a portion of the financial recovery from their case.  

When our lawyer successfully secures payment, that percentage of compensation is used to cover the associated attorneys’ fees. In other words, our clients pay nothing unless we get money for them.

This guarantees that our attorneys work diligently to secure the best financial outcome for our clients. When you hire Morgan and Morgan, you can rest assured that our attorneys are on your side.

You should never trust a tort attorney who requires upfront payment. Speak with one of the compassionate lawyers at Morgan & Morgan to discuss the circumstances of your workplace harassment claim today. 

Employees may be able to secure a range of compensation types in a successful workplace harassment case. The most common categories of financial compensation in these claims are “economic” and “non-economic” damages.

Economic damages replace any direct monetary losses that the victim experienced. These can include the following:

• Medical bills
• Lost wages from missing work
• Expected future care costs
• Decrease in earning ability

But other damages resulting from harassment are intangible. Non-economic damages are payments to compensate for these losses. Examples include the below:

• Pain and suffering
• Emotional turmoil and anguish
• Depression and anxiety
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Embarrassment

To determine the full value of your harassment claim, make sure to consult with a legal professional. The attorneys at Morgan and Morgan will help you pursue every dime that your case is worth.

The skilled legal professionals at the firm of Morgan and Morgan fight diligently for our clients’ best interests. If you have experienced illegal harassment or unfair treatment at work, contact us. 

Our firm will gladly provide you with a free consultation to discuss your unfair treatment case. To schedule a no-cost case evaluation, complete the simple form on the Morgan and Morgan website today. At Morgan & Morgan, we are on your side.