Discrimination

Employment discrimination creates a negative work environment, which can affect an employer’s business and the employees working there. An applicant for a position may also file a claim for discrimination if he or she believes the prospective employer did not offer the job for reasons not allowed by law. While employers have the right to select and retain the best people to fill job openings, they cannot fire or decide not to hire a person based solely upon a characteristic protected under the law.

The Florida Commission on Human Relations was created to uphold state laws offering protection from discrimination in both housing and employment. According to the Commission’s 2009-2010 Annual Report, over 74 percent of the cases investigated were for discrimination in employment. Half of the discrimination cases filed involved retaliation or discrimination related to race.

State and Federal Law on Workplace Discrimination

Florida law makes it illegal to discriminate against an employee in hiring or on the job for any of the following:

• Race

• Sex

• Disability

• Age

• Nationality

• Religion

• Color

• Marital status

• Pregnancy

• Gender

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) was created in 1964 to protect employees from discriminatory practices and offers similar protections. Both Florida law and federal law also offer protection against retaliation to employees who file a discrimination complaint against their employer.  In Orlando Florida, the Znosko Reas lawyers can help employers and employees resolve complaints.