Workplace Discrimination Lawyer in New York City
RECOVERED
- Workplace discrimination and harassment are illegal under federal and New York laws. These laws protect employees from unfair treatment based on race, gender, age, disability, pregnancy, and sexual orientation.
- Joseph & Norinsberg has over 100 years of combined experience defending workers. They have a strong record of winning settlements and verdicts for victims of employment discrimination.
- Discrimination can take many forms, including age, disability, gender, LGBTQ+, pregnancy, race, religion, weight, and disparate treatment.
- To file a claim, gather evidence such as emails, messages, performance reviews, and witness statements. Complaints can be filed with the EEOC, NYSDHR, or NYCCHR within the required deadlines.
- Victims may be entitled to back pay, front pay, emotional distress damages, punitive damages, and attorney fees. Experienced lawyers can help maximize compensation.
New York and federal laws protect employees from employment discrimination based on protected characteristics, including harassment and hostile work environments.
If you’re facing illegal discrimination in the workplace, take matters into your own hands and get the legal help you deserve. The experienced New York City workplace discrimination lawyers at Joseph & Norinsberg can fight relentlessly to protect your rights and get justice for what you’ve experienced.
We have over 100 years of collective experience and understand what it takes to stand up for employees. Our New York City employment lawyers are ready to serve you.
Reasons to Choose Our New York City Workplace Discrimination Lawyers
Our award-winning employment law attorneys at Joseph & Norinsberg bring more than 100 years of combined experience defending New York workers’ rights. With hard work, meticulous preparation, and deep legal knowledge, we win over 98% of our cases.
We provide relentless representation with empathy for every client. When other law firms are at the end of their rope, we tie a knot and keep fighting to get you justice.
We Get Results
Our skill and dedication get results for our clients. Our notable employment discrimination wins include:
- $1,250,000: Failure to Accommodate and Discrimination โ Verdict against an international biotech company
- $1,250,000: Racial Discrimination โ Settlements against a luxury brand in the fashion industry
- $725,000: Unpaid Overtime, Discrimination, and Retaliation โ Settlement for a group of 25 cleaners who worked for a New York-based commercial cleaning company
We invite you to review our case results to see more examples of our successes. Note that past results do not guarantee the outcomes of future claims.
Types of Workplace Discrimination Claims We Handle in NYC
Joseph & Norinsberg’s New York City workplace discrimination lawyers handle various types of discrimination claims. Contact us for assistance from a:
- New York City Age Discrimination Lawyer: New Yorkers can contact us for help if they experience age-based discrimination at work. We’ll go over your rights and explain what you should do next.
- New York City Disability Discrimination Lawyer: We can step in to help if your employer refuses to grant you reasonable accommodations at work or engages in other disability-based discrimination.
- New York City Gender Discrimination Lawyer: Our team knows what it takes to handle gender-based discrimination claims. We’re here to help if you believe you experience disparate treatment based on your gender.
- New York City LGBTQ+ Discrimination Lawyer: You can reach out to us if your employer discriminates against you based on your sexual orientation. We’re ready to fight for your rights every step of the way.
- New York City Pregnancy Discrimination Lawyer: We can take charge of your claim if your employer discriminates against you based on a pregnancy. Allow us to review your next steps today.
- New York City Race Discrimination Lawyer: We’re ready to help with discrimination on race-based grounds. Our knowledge of employment law allows us to confidently handle cases involving race discrimination.
- New York City Religious Discrimination Lawyer: You can turn to us for help if you face mistreatment at work based on your religious beliefs. Allow us to stand up for your rights today.
You can reach out today to learn more about how we can assist with your specific legal needs.
We Understand the Federal Laws That Help Protect Employees from Workplace Discrimination
For decades, landmark federal laws have helped protect workers from hostile work environments and other forms of workplace discrimination. These laws include:
- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964: Title VII is the original federal law that bans most employers from discriminating in employment based on protected characteristics like race, sex, or religion.
- The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): The ADA requires most employers to give employees with disabilities equal consideration and provide reasonable accommodations in the workplace.
- The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA): The ADEA bans employers from discriminating against workers 40 or older based on age.
- The Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA): The PDA bans workplace discrimination based on pregnancy status and requires employers to treat pregnancy as a temporary disability in certain circumstances.
Client Testimonials
New York Laws Also Protect Employees from Workplace Discrimination
New York state and city laws mostly mirror federal anti-discrimination laws but also apply to more employers and include additional protections for certain groups as follows:
- The New York State Human Rights Law was recently amended to include protections for gender identity and expression and now applies to all employers in the state.
- The New York City Human Rights Law also bans discriminatory practices in housing and lending and requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for religious observance and other acts.
Our team at Joseph & Norinsberg can tell you more about all relevant laws.
How to File a Discrimination Claim in New York
You have 180 days following a discriminatory incident to file a claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which enforces federal employment discrimination laws. However, the deadline extends to 300 days if you dual-file your charge with a state or local agency.
To pursue a discrimination action under federal law, you must first file a charge with the EEOC. The EEOC will try to mediate a voluntary settlement between you and your employer. If mediation doesn’t work or your employer refuses, the EEOC will investigate the charges.
The agency will give you a Notice of Right to Sue if it can’t determine whether your workplace violated the law or if you can’t reach a settlement with EEOC help. You must receive such a notice to file a federal lawsuit.
Filing a Claim with New York State Agencies
New York state agencies like the Department of Human Rights (NYSDHR) have agreements that allow claimants to cross-file state and federal claims at the same time. Workers have three years to file an employment discrimination complaint with the NYSDHR and can do so by filling out an online form to report discrimination.
You can file a complaint with state or federal agencies in any order. However, if you want to file with the New York City Commission on Human Rights (NYCCHR), which is headquartered on Reade Street in Manhattan, you must do so before filing a discrimination complaint with another agency.
A knowledgeable New York City workplace discrimination attorney at Joseph & Norinsberg can help you navigate the claims process, identify the right agencies to file with, and focus on your claim.
What Damages Can I Get Compensation For in a New York Discrimination Case?
New York employment discrimination victims can seek compensation for various damages, such as the following:
- Back pay
- โFront payโ when reinstatement or similar remedies arenโt feasible
- Emotional distress
- Punitive damages as a penalty for severely negligent or malicious conduct
- Attorney fees and court costs
Our NYC workplace discrimination attorneys can identify all damages you may be entitled to and fight to maximize your compensation.
Damages in a New York Discrimination Case
New York employment discrimination victims can seek compensation for various damages, such as the following:
- Back pay
- Front pay when reinstatement or similar remedies aren’t feasible
- Emotional distress
- Punitive damages as a penalty for severely negligent or malicious conduct
- Attorney fees and court costs when your case is heard in courts such as the Southern District of New York U.S. District Court or the New York State Supreme Court building on Centre Street
Our NYC workplace discrimination attorneys at Joseph & Norinsberg can identify all damages you may be entitled to and fight to maximize your compensation.
Gather Evidence if You Face Discrimination
If you’ve experienced workplace discrimination, document your experiences immediately to build a trail of evidence to support your claims. Take notes after any incidents of harassment or discriminatory behavior.
Preserving any workplace communications relating to your experiences is crucial. Keep copies of discriminatory emails, messages, memos, or other documents. If any co-workers were present, ask them for witness statements and contact information. Such corroborating evidence is particularly valuable.
You don’t need to leave your job to pursue a discrimination claim, and quitting early can weaken your case in some situations. Anti-discrimination laws protect you while you remain employed, and our attorneys can help you act without risking your livelihood.
Your Employer Cannot Legally Retaliate Against You
Federal, New York State, and NYC laws all prohibit employers from retaliating against employees who report discrimination, file a complaint, or participate in an investigation.
If you experience demotion, termination, schedule changes, or other adverse action after speaking up, you may have a separate retaliation claim in addition to your original discrimination case. Talk to our team at Joseph & Norinsberg to learn more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my employer retaliate against me for filing a workplace discrimination complaint?
No. Federal, New York State, and NYC laws all prohibit employers from retaliating against employees who report discrimination, file a complaint, or participate in an investigation. If you experience demotion, termination, schedule changes, or other adverse action after speaking up, you may have a separate retaliation claim in addition to your original discrimination case.
Do I have to quit my job before filing a discrimination claim in New York?
No. You do not need to leave your job to pursue a discrimination claim, and quitting prematurely can actually weaken your case in some situations. Anti-discrimination laws are designed to protect you while you remain employed, and our attorneys can help you take action without putting your livelihood at risk.
What if I donโt have direct proof that my employer discriminated against me?
Direct evidence like discriminatory emails or recorded comments is helpful but not required to win a case. Many strong claims are built on circumstantial evidence โ patterns of unequal treatment, suspicious timing of an adverse action after a protected complaint, or witness testimony โ all of which our NYC discrimination lawyers know how to identify and present.
How long does a workplace discrimination case take to resolve in NYC?
ATimelines vary based on the complexity of the claim and whether the case settles or proceeds to litigation. Some matters resolve through negotiation within a few months, while litigated cases can take a year or longer. At Joseph & Norinsberg, we work to resolve cases as efficiently as possible without ever compromising the compensation you deserve.
Contact Us After Facing Workplace Discrimination in NYC
The skilled New York City workplace discrimination lawyers at Joseph & Norinsberg are ready to defend your right to a workplace free from discrimination and harassment. We handle cases throughout New York.
Joseph & Norinsberg is a premier employee-side employment law firm built around one commitment: Justice for the Employee. Led by experienced trial lawyers, Joseph & Norinsberg represents professionals, executives, and employees against companies of all sizes in discrimination matters.
New York City Employment Attorney Profiles
Bennitta L. Joseph
Founder/Senior Managing Partner
Jon L. Norinsberg
Founder/Senior Managing Partner
Merrick Alpert
Chief Operating Officer
John J. Meehan
Executive Partner/Chief of the Pre-Litigation Division
Brendan Sweeney
Executive Partner & Chief of Operations
Caitlin Duffy
Partner
Diego O. Barros
Partner
Elizabeth Pollock
Partner/Co-Chair of the Wage & Hour Division
Jon Norinsberg is one of New York Cityโs leading civil rights and trial attorneys, with decades of experience litigating high-stakes constitutional and employment disputes. Jon is known as a fearless, battle-tested trial lawyer who takes on powerful corporations, government entities, and public institutions in cases involving civil rights violations, police misconduct, discrimination, retaliation, and wrongful conduct.
- New York Age Discrimination Lawyer
- New York Disability Discrimination Lawyer
- New York Gender Discrimination Lawyer
- New York Pregnancy Discrimination Lawyer
- New York Race Discrimination Lawyer
- New York LGBTQ Employment Discrimination Lawyer
- New York Weight Discrimination Lawyer
- New York Religious Discrimination Lawyer
Increased clientโs severance for being discriminated against for their disability.
Defended 12 individuals facing discrimination and retaliation based on race and gender in the workplace.
Race discrimination case against a luxury brand in the fashion industry (confidential).