Disability Discrimination Attorneys in Santa Ana

Were You Treated Different Because of Your Disability?

It can be incredibly stressful and hurtful when people treat you differently because of your disability, but it can take on a whole new level of pain when it happens at work. Despite federal and state laws that expressly forbid discrimination against people for their disabilities, it’s unfortunately common for employers to engage in such behavior. Some do so covertly while others may more brazenly violate your rights, but under no circumstances should you have to tolerate such behavior.

Since 1995, our attorneys at The Gould Law Firm have been advocates for people with disabilities when they’ve needed to legally confront their employers. We believe in preserving the dignity of all workers and forcing managers, business owners, and coworkers to answer for unlawful treatment of our clients. In cases like these, we can pursue fair and just compensation for our clients that can include damages for lost wages, compensatory damages, and even punitive damages in particularly egregious cases.

How to Identify Disability Discrimination at Work

Discrimination against a person with a disability can take on various forms at work. Some can be direct, while others may be more subtle or the result of poorly conceived company policies.

Here are a few considerations for how you can identify disability discrimination at work:

• Direct Behavior: Someone has treated you unfavorably and it is clear that it is because of your disability. This can amount to harassment in the form of inappropriate comments, use of slurs, jokes, bullying, and even physical violence.
• Indirect Behavior: Someone is choosing to enforce certain company policies that particularly affect you because of your disability; likewise, the polices themselves can be passively discriminatory.
• Victimization: You’ve experienced retaliation at work after complaining about a disability discrimination incident or company practice.

How to File a Disability Discrimination Claim

If you have experienced workplace disability discrimination, there are steps you can take to file a discrimination complaint. Here are the general steps to follow:

Gather evidence: Collect any evidence that supports your disability discrimination claim, such as emails, performance evaluations, and witness statements. Make a note of any discriminatory incidents or situations.

Follow your company policy: Make sure you are complying with your company's discrimination policy and following the correct procedure to report an incident of discrimination to your supervisor, HR representative, or someone else designated by your company.

File a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) if you believe your employer has retaliated against you for reporting discrimination, or if your employer does not respond to your complaint. You can file a complaint online, by mail, or in person at an EEOC office.

Stay up to date on the investigation: The EEOC will investigate your claim and determine if there is enough evidence to support your claim.

Consider legal action: The EEOC may file a lawsuit against an employer if a complaint of discrimination cannot be resolved through mediation. In the alternative, an employment attorney may be able to assist you with filing a lawsuit against your employer.

Contact Our Disability Discrimination Lawyer

If you’re unsure about something that happened at work, a disability discrimination attorney in Santa Ana can help you figure out if you may have a valid claim. During a free consultation with one of our lawyers at The Gould Law Firm, we can help you determine whether or not pursuing legal action is in your best interests.

We offer free consultations to all prospective clients, so contact The Gould Law Firm’s disability discrimination attorneys in Santa Ana today. Reach out to us online or call our number (714) 592-4936 for help from a lawyer near you!