Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity Discrimination

Employment non-discrimination laws protect LGBT individuals from being unfairly discriminated against in the workplace by private employers. Unfortunately, not all states provide these protections. Alabama, for example, does not have any statewide laws prohibiting employment discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. While there are local ordinances in Birmingham and Montevallo which aim to… Read More

EEOC Report: Discrimination against pregnant woment in workplace increasing

According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”), pregnancy discrimination has become more frequent in the U.S. over the past ten years. A new EEOC report showed over 50,000 new charges by women alleging they had been discriminated by the employer related to their pregnancies. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act was enacted to protect pregnant women and new moms from discrimination in the workplace… Read More

What Federal Laws protect Alabama employees?

As an employment lawyer in Alabama, one of the questions I am most often asked by prospective clients is what laws protect an employee from illegal or improper treatment in the workplace.  The answer to this question would take pages to answer completely, but I thought it would be worth addressing the basic framework of… Read More

City of Atlanta to Pay Three Firefighters $320,000 in Cheating Class Action

After a jury found in favor of three Atlanta firefighters, the judge awarded them $320,000 for legal fees in a class action lawsuit alleging City of Atlanta officials failed to address allegations of cheating on a fire department promotion test.  According to the lawsuit, two assistant chiefs provided answers to a handful of firefighters before the exam.The lawsuit alleged that the city did not… Read More

So I have been discriminated against by my employer, what now?

Whether it be race, age, gender discrimination or sexual harassment, how an employee handles a discrimination issue from the beginning can make all the difference.  It can impact not only your career but also the successfulness of a lawsuit should one become necessary.  While there is no standard procedure that applies to all circumstances, there are a… Read More

How do I make a complaint of discrimination against my employer?

This is one of the most common questions an employment lawyer receives.  The answer varies depending on the situation, however, a couple of common routes typically apply. If your employer has provided you with an employee handbook, the process for making a complaint for race, gender, age, or disability discrimination is usually included in the handbook.  At… Read More

Do I have a case for retaliation against my Alabama Employer?

Employers in Alabama with more than 15 employees are subject to the anti-retaliation provisions of Title VII.  Under Title VII, an employer may not fire, demote, harass or otherwise “retaliate” against an individual for filing a charge of discrimination, participating in a discrimination proceeding, or otherwise opposing discrimination.   To establish a retaliation claim under Title… Read More