Determining whether or not you faced a discriminatory firing is not always simple. Many people feel hurt and discriminated against, and being let go can always be an emotional experience. To further clarify whether or not your firing was discriminatory, it is helpful to ask yourself a number of questions about the situation.
During your time at your job, did you observe any behavior that would cause you to believe the firing was discriminatory? Were you given any reasons for the firing, either in writing or verbally, that might indicate discrimination? When you consider the circumstances under which you were let go, do any other factors seem to indicate discrimination? Often, in cases of discrimination, you may not be the only one who suffered a similar experience, so it may be helpful to consider any other former or current employees who may have also suffered in the same way.
Prior to your firing, did you notice your employer giving preferential treatment to one group of employees over another, such as allowing certain employees to turn in assignments late, while requiring great promptness in assignments from others? One way to identify discrimination is to look for preferential treatment of others rather than explicitly negative treatment of a group.
Each case is different, so it is rarely easy to look at a person’s experience and say “yes, this was absolutely discriminatory.” If you believe that you may be the victim of workplace discrimination, and especially if you were fired for obviously discriminatory reasons, it is always wise to consult with an experienced attorney. With proper legal counsel, you can rest assured that your rights remain protected while you pursue justice.
Source: FIndLaw, “Wrongful Termination Checklist,” accessed March 09, 2017
