Warren County Employment Discrimination Lawyers

A 1973 Supreme Court case, McDonnell Douglas Corp vs. Green resulted in broad principles that are followed in employment discrimination cases. The court in your case will start with four key questions…

• Are you a member of a protected class? For example, age discrimination suits require that you be 40 years or older. Disability discrimination naturally presumes you are disabled. Anyone can be a victim of discrimination based on race, religion, gender or ethnicity.
• Do you have qualifications for the role you sought? Our example above presumed a teacher who was eminently well-qualified for the job they applied for. These qualifications must be formally established in court. 
• Did you suffer adverse action? The negative consequences in the hypothetical scenarios above are all examples of adverse action–denial of a job, a promotion, of fair pay or a hostile work environment. Other examples, depending on the nature of the job ,could be denial of good work hours. For example, a police officer who never gets Christmas off while colleagues of another race do get every other year with their family, is suffering from adverse action. 
• Finally, there should be a beneficiary of another class. A race discrimination suit presumes that someone of another race did get the job, the promotion, the good pay and work schedule and the pleasant working environment. An age discrimination suit requires that someone younger have been given the opportunity. 

Establishing these four basic elements doesn’t win your case. What it does do is shift the burden of proof. That’s no small victory in any legal dispute. Now, it’s up to the employer to demonstrate that their actions were justified for legitimate, legal reasons. 

The quality of your evidence will become vital at this stage of the lawsuit. It’s imperative that you document as much as you possibly can. Anything that comes in the form of emails and texts, be sure you save. If things are said to you, document them in a journal. The employer might contest your version of events, but the plaintiff who is chronicling events in the moment is likely to be seen as more credible than the one who tries to recall an incident six months after the fact. 

You can also reach out to your allies and ask them to do the same. Friendly colleagues can conduct their own documentation and journaling on your behalf and that information can be admitted as evidence.

Winning an employment discrimination lawsuit can be done. It requires diligent legal footwork and a fighting spirit. At Galligan & Newman, we’ve got plenty of that. We’ve also got over 40 years of experience handling cases like this. That experience can help guide you in understanding the merits of your case and how to strengthen it. Don’t sit back and take bad treatment on something as fundamental as how you make a living. Call our office at (931) 473-8405 or reach out online and get help. 

Understanding Employment Discrimination: Local Insights for Murfreesboro Residents

Living and working in Murfreesboro, you may be familiar with the unique challenges that come with employment discrimination. Whether you're employed by one of the many local businesses or larger institutions like Middle Tennessee State University, understanding your rights is crucial. The Rutherford County government provides resources and support for those facing workplace discrimination, ensuring that you have access to the help you need.

One common issue in Murfreesboro is the lack of awareness about what constitutes adverse action. For instance, if you work at a local healthcare facility and notice that your shifts are consistently less favorable compared to colleagues of a different race or age, this could be a sign of discrimination. Similarly, if you're employed in the retail sector and find that promotions are being unfairly distributed, it's important to document these instances meticulously.

The Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce and local legal aid organizations can be valuable resources for understanding your rights and the steps you need to take. While we at Law Offices of Galligan & Newman are not directly affiliated with these entities, we recognize their importance in providing support to the community.

At Law Offices of Galligan & Newman, we understand the local landscape and the specific challenges faced by employees in Murfreesboro. Our extensive experience in handling employment discrimination cases allows us to offer tailored advice and representation. We encourage you to document every instance of unfair treatment, whether through emails, texts, or personal journals, as this evidence can significantly strengthen your case.