Atlanta Employment Attorneys Blog
It is wrongful for an employer to discriminate against an employee because of his or her race, color, national origin, age, religion, sex, or disability. When an employer violates state or federal laws that forbid such conduct, the affected worker may be able to assert an Atlanta employment discrimination lawsuit.
If an employee (or former employee) is successful in his or her case, multiple forms of relief may be available, depending on the specific situation that gave rise to the claim. This might include injunctive relief (such as an order reinstating the worker to a particular position), front pay, back pay, compensatory damages, punitive damages, and/or attorney fees.
Of course, not every claim of employment discrimination is ultimately successful. The employee must be able to show that his or her race, age, sex, etc., was a motivating factor in the employer’s adverse decision (such as firing the employee or refusing him or her a promotion) and that any supposed non-discriminatory reason for the decision was not merely pretextual; unfortunately, this is not always possible.
Facts of the Case
In a recent federal employment law case filed in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, Macon Division, the plaintiff was a woman who had been employed as a “transfer support coordinator” for the defendant college for approximately seven weeks during late 2017 and early 2018. After the defendant terminated the plaintiff, she filed a charge for race discrimination and retaliation with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, followed by a suit in federal court seeking to assert a claim for unlawful employment discrimination based upon her race. The employer filed a motion seeking summary judgment.
The Decision of the Court
After reviewing the evidence submitted by the parties regarding the summary judgment motion, the court found that, even if the plaintiff could make out a prima facie case of retaliation, the defendant had advanced a legitimate, non-discriminatory reason for the plaintiff’s termination. In response, the plaintiff was unable to provide any direct and/or circumstantial evidence that the defendant’s non-discriminatory reasons for firing her were only pretextual. Because of this, the court granted the defendant’s motion for summary judgment, thereby dismissing the plaintiff’s employment discrimination case against the defendant.
While the plaintiff made numerous assertions concerning the defendant’s history of race discrimination, the court found that the plaintiff had failed to make any connection between those historical events and her own employment situation. In the court’s opinion, some of the evidence relied upon by the plaintiff actually tended to highlight the defendant’s efforts to correct its past errors, rather than provide evidence that the plaintiff herself had been treated wrongfully.
For an Appointment with an Employment Law Attorney in Atlanta
No one should be discriminated against in the workplace on the basis of race, gender, religion, age, or disability. However, it happens every day. If you believe that you have been the victim of unlawful workplace discrimination, the law firm of Parks, Chesin & Walbert can help. For an appointment to discuss the particulars of your Atlanta employment discrimination suit, contact us through this website or phone us at 404-873-8048. Please be mindful that discrimination claims must be pursued in a timely fashion, or else the victim of the wrongful conduct could forfeit his or her legal rights.