New York City Employment Discrimination Lawyers

We Help New York City Workers Who Have Been Treated Unfairly and Illegally by Employers

When it comes to your job, you expect your employer will treat you fairly and judge you based solely on your work. Unfortunately, we have all seen cases where employers engage in blatant discrimination against certain groups of people when it comes to their hiring and employment practices. Such conduct violates a host of federal, state, and New York City laws. And if you are the target of such discrimination, you have the right to seek justice under those laws.

Carey & Associates, P.C., is a team of New York City employment discrimination lawyers dedicated to representing clients who have been targeted for unfair and illegal treatment in the workplace. We are effective employment lawyers for change who will make every effort to obtain compensation and other relief on your behalf. We understand that discrimination is a serious matter and something that cannot be tolerated under any circumstances.

Defining Employment Discrimination Under the Law

Employment discrimination is banned under federal, New York State, and New York City law. Each jurisdiction defines discrimination slightly differently, but the overall objective is the same. An employer cannot take any adverse employment-related action against an employee or job applicant based on certain legally protected characteristics or statuses.

Under the New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL), for example, you are protected from discrimination in employment based on any of the following:

• Age
• Arrest or Conviction Record
• Color
• Credit History
• Disability
• Gender or Gender Identity
• Height or Weight
• Military or Veteran Status
• National Origin
• Pregnancy
• Race
• Religion or Creed
• Salary History
• Sexual and Reproductive Health Decisions
• Sexual Orientation
• Status as a Caregiver
• Status as a Victim of Domestic Violence, Stalking, or Sex Offenses
• Unemployment Status

In some cases, New York City law offers significantly greater protections than federal employment discrimination laws. For example, the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act only protects employees and job applicants who are age 40 or over. However, the NYCHRL prohibits age discrimination in all cases. So a New York City employer also cannot refuse to hire someone who they arbitrarily classify as “too young” for a certain position.

Additionally, employment discrimination laws often protect workers based on perceived rather than actual status. For instance, federal and local laws bar disability discrimination. This also covers cases where an employer incorrectly assumes that an employee or job applicant has a disability. In such a situation, the employee may still take legal action against an employer even if they do not have the perceived disability.

Taking Legal Action Against Employment Discrimination in New York City

Employment discrimination occurs whenever an employer treats you less favorably based on your membership in a protected class. This includes:

• hiring and firing decisions;
• establishing salary and benefits;
• conducting performance evaluations;
• employee disciplinary proceedings;
• promotion and demotion decisions;
• failing to make a reasonable accommodation for an employee’s needs based on their membership in a protected class;
• creating or tolerating a hostile work environment against members of a protected class; and
• retaliating against you for complaining about employment discrimination in the workplace.

If you are the victim of any action that may qualify as employment discrimination, you must act quickly to preserve and assert your rights. Federal, state, and New York City civil rights laws all have strict deadlines that must be followed when filing a complaint. For most federal employment discrimination cases, you must file a formal charge (complaint) with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission within 300 days of the most recent discriminatory act. You can also file a complaint with the New York City Commission on Human Rights within 1 year. If the agency declines to act on your complaint, you can sue the employer directly.

A successful employment discrimination lawsuit can require an employer who engaged in discrimination to pay damages and provide additional relief to the affected employee, including but not limited to:

• back pay and benefits;
• reinstatement of the employee’s job;
• compensation for pain and suffering;
• punitive damages;
• the employee’s legal fees and expenses; and
• changes to the employer’s personnel policies, procedures, and training.

Contact Carey & Associates Today

At Carey & Associates, P.C., our New York City employment discrimination lawyers can review your case and advise you on the best course of action for addressing unfair and illegal actions by an employer. Call us today at (914) 705-5427 to schedule a confidential, no-obligation consultation. We represent employees throughout the five boroughs of New York City and beyond.