Robb Bigelow is a Nashville national origin discrimination lawyer who fights for the rights of employees who have been discriminated against due to their country of origin. After graduating from Vanderbilt Law School and working for a federal judge for three years, Robb has over a decade of experience representing employees throughout Nashville and Middle Tennessee who have been discriminated against.
The young civil rights pioneer Malala Yousafzai stated, “There should be no discrimination against languages people speak, skin color, or religion.” As a Nashville employment law attorney who fights against national origin discrimination, Robb is on your side.
One of the greatest things about Nashville and Middle Tennessee is that much of it is a melting pot of people from all around the world. We are a nation of immigrants. In Nashville and throughout Middle Tennessee, we are fortunate to have a community of people whose ancestry is from around the world, including many from Mexico and a large community from the Middle East. They are hard working individuals. Individuals who give so much of their time and energy to support their family. And, sadly, many have to fight against employers and prospective employers who treat them differently simply because of where they are from. Sometimes they need the help of a national origin discrimination attorney.
National origin discrimination occurs when an employer discriminates against an employee because he or she comes from a particular place, because of ethnicity, or because of a particular accent. The discrimination can also be because of perceived ethnicity. It is also against the law for an employer to discriminate against an employee because the employee is married to someone of a particular nationality.
Workplace discrimination due to national origin is against the law.Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as well as certain state and local laws, make it illegal for an employer to discriminate against an employee because of his or her national origin---this includes a person’s nationality, ancestry, culture and/or linguistic characteristics.
No matter where you are from, no one must hold that against you. Not only is it not right to hold your background against you, it is illegal.
As an experienced national origin attorney will inform you about two different types of national origin discrimination: Disparate Treatment and Discrimination and Disparate Impact Discrimination
Disparate Treatment DiscriminationYour employer cannot treat you less favorably because of your national origin. This can come in many forms. Some of the most common things that Nashville national origin discrimination attorneys see include refusing to hire, refusing to provide training, denying promotions, denying equal compensation and benefits, disciplining, and firing.
Another common thing Nashville national origin discrimination lawyers see is clients who are subjected to harassment because of their national origin. Harassment based on national origin is any conduct that interferes with a person’s work performance, negatively affects a person’s employment opportunities, or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment. Offensive jokes, name-calling, threats, and other forms of mistreatment towards an employee because of his or her national origin are illegal if the behavior is so severe and pervasive that it changes the terms or conditions of a person’s employment.
Finally, federal law specifically prohibits disparate treatment on the basis of national origin in the making and enforcement of employment contracts.
Disparate Impact DiscriminationDisparate impact discrimination occurs when an apparently objective policy has a disproportionately negative effect on members of one national origin, and the employer is unable to show that the policy is job-related and justified by business necessity. In other words, while disparate treatment is based on intent, disparate impact established liability for policies that are developed with little attention to the potential impact it can have on a protected group of people.
RetaliationFederal, state, and local laws also prohibitretaliation against employees who oppose national origin discrimination (such as by filing internal complaints,filing a charge with theEqual Employment Opportunity Commission, etc.). Retaliation may take any of the forms above, as well as any action which could stop a reasonable employee from making or supporting a charge of discrimination.
If you are a victim of National Origin Discrimination, don’t wait call Bigelow Legal and let an experienced national origin discrimination attorney help you.