Racial & National Origin Discrimination

In the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement, claims for race discrimination have skyrocketed. Race discrimination remains a very serious issue in the United States, particularly in the workplace. Employers, both big and small, need to be held accountable under the law.

Los Angeles race discrimination attorney Afshin Mozaffari has a comprehensive understanding of California employment law and can provide guidance to you about your civil rights.

State and federal laws and regulations provide strong protections for workers. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) make it illegal for an employer to treat an employee differently because of his or her actual or perceived race. It is illegal for an employer to discriminate against an employee because of his/her race in hiring, firing, discipline, distribution of benefits, promotion, compensation, job training, or any other condition of employment.

There are also several different types of race discrimination such as: color discrimination, reverse discrimination, same-race discrimination, intersectional discrimination, association discrimination, and biracial discrimination. Additionally, these same laws prohibit discrimination based on national origin. The FEHA broadly defines “national origin” to include the following:

• Physical, cultural, or linguistic characteristics associated with a national origin group;
• Marriage to or association with persons of a national origin group;
• Tribal affiliation;
• Membership in or association with an organization identified with or seeking to promote the interests of a national origin group;
• Attendance or participation in schools, churches, temples, mosques, or other religious institutions generally used by persons of national origin group; and
• Name that is associated with a national origin group.

Discrimination based on language abilities or speaking with an accent may also amount to racial/ethnic discrimination.

Examples of potential racial discrimination may include:

• Your job responsibilities have increased over the several years you have worked at a company, but you have never received a promotion or raise, whereas a newly hired white employee, with equivalent experience and qualification as you, is promoted over you
• One of your coworkers makes inappropriate comments and jokes that are insulting towards African Americans, Latinos, Asians, and/or other minorities
• Coworkers or supervisors criticizing, mocking, teasing, or ridiculing an employee who speaks English with an accent
• You are unfairly disciplined because your boss does not like the fact that you are married to someone who is African American
• You are being subject to racial stereotyping. In other words, characteristics of members of your racial group are attributed to you regardless of your individual differences.

This is just a sampling of what racial discrimination can look like in the workplace. It is important to remember that discrimination can be very subtle and sometimes difficult to identify, which is why it is important to speak with an attorney who is experienced in employment discrimination law and who can help you navigate how the laws work to protect you.

Los Angeles race discrimination lawyer Afshin Mozaffari has extensive experience and success litigating racial and national origin discrimination cases. We are here to help you navigate the law and make sure you get the justice you deserve. If you believe you are being discriminated against because of your race or ethnicity, contact Mozaffari Law at 323.696.0702 or Info@mozaffarilaw.comfor a confidential consultation.