Unfortunately, those who have differing characteristics are often discriminated against in today’s society. Discrimination can never be justified; it is completely immoral and wrong. Unfortunately, despite significant improvements, employees in California and across the country still endure discrimination in the workplace.
A man in another state recently received a substantial monetary award from a lawsuit he filed after he was allegedly subjected to racial discrimination by his former employer. The man worked as a field technician for a telecommunications company. According to the lawsuit, the man took off his company shirt while he was in the field and worked in an undershirt. The man said he did this so he could wash off the poison ivy that he commonly came in contact with. The lawsuit alleged that this was often done by other employees.
The plaintiff, who is of Dominican descent, said he was the only non-white employee on his crew. He claimed he was singled out and reprimanded by his employer for dress code violations due to his race. During proceedings, co-workers who were white testified that no employees followed these dress code rules. The jury sided with the plaintiff and awarded him more than $2.5 million.
Mistreating an employee just because of differing characteristics is not only completely dehumanizing, it is illegal. Those in California who have experienced discrimination in any form at work could benefit by seeking the services of a knowledgeable and experienced legal representative. A lawsuit, if successful, could result in substantial compensation to provide victims with much-needed and deserved financial relief.