Pennsylvania Federal Discrimination Lawyer

Discuss Your Legal Rights with an Experienced Pennsylvania Federal Discrimination Lawyer

As a federal employee in Pennsylvania, you are entitled to protection from discrimination on the job. Federal agencies are prohibited from engaging in discriminatory employment practices, and when they engage in discrimination unlawfully, they can—and should—be held accountable.

At The Law Firm of J.W. Stafford, we represent federal employees in discrimination claims against the U.S. government. If you have experienced discrimination in any aspect of your employment (or if you have been denied employment on a discriminatory basis), we can help you. We can seek placement, reinstatement, financial compensation or other remedies on your behalf—either before the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or in federal court in Pennsylvania.

Types of Claims We Handle for Federal Employees in Pennsylvania

There are many different forms of workplace discrimination. Federal law prohibits employers—including the U.S. government—from making employment-related decisions based on employees’ and job applicants’ protected characteristics. These protected characteristics include:

  • Race, color, religion, national origin, and sex (under the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Equal Pay Act)
  • Age (under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act)
  • Disability (under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Rehabilitation Act)
  • Genetic Information (under the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act)
  • Pregnancy (under the Pregnancy Discrimination Act)

The term “discrimination” encompasses a variety of different types of prohibited practices. For example, you should speak with a Pennsylvania federal discrimination lawyer if you believe you are a victim of:

Disparate Treatment

Generally, federal discrimination laws require the U.S. government to treat all similarly qualified employees and job applicants equally. Any form of disparate treatment that results in some employees being treated differently than others will raise red flags for discrimination. This includes, for example, disparate treatment regarding:

  • Hiring and placement
  • Security clearances
  • Raises and promotions
  • Disciplinary actions
  • Performance reviews
  • Work hours, locations and facilities (including failure to provide reasonable accommodations)

Harassment

Harassment is considered a form of sex-based discrimination under the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Sexual harassment can itself take many forms, including both quid pro quo sexual harassment and fostering a hostile work environment. While physical sexual assault is an egregious form of harassment, harassment can also involve inappropriate comments, sending sexually explicit text messages, forwarding emails with sexual content and other forms of conduct that make employees feel unsafe or threatened.

Retaliation

Federal agencies are also prohibited from retaliating against employees who file discrimination claims. Retaliation can involve almost any form of discriminatory treatment, from taking unjustified disciplinary action to wrongfully terminating a federal employee. If you are a victim of discrimination and retaliation, you may have multiple claims against the federal government, and you will want to work with an experienced Pennsylvania federal discrimination lawyer who can help you assert your legal rights effectively.

Wrongful Termination

Federal employees are entitled to significant protections against termination. This includes protection against termination on a discriminatory basis. If you believe that you were terminated based on your age, color, disability, race, gender, genetic information, national origin, pregnancy or sex, you should consult with a Pennsylvania federal discrimination lawyer promptly.

3 Key Elements for Proving Discrimination in Federal Employment

When you contact us about your federal employment discrimination claim, we will conduct a comprehensive assessment of your legal rights. Among other things, this will involve examining the three key elements of a successful discrimination claim based on the facts of your case:

1. Unfavorable Treatment Compared to Similarly Situated Employees

To have a discrimination claim, you must be able to prove that you experienced treatment that was unfavorable compared to the treatment afforded to similarly situated employees.

2. Lack of a Valid Justification

You must also be able to prove that the government lacked a valid justification for the employment-related action taken. The government’s justification must be truly valid—not simply a pretext for discriminating against you.

3. Actual Injury Resulting from the Discrimination

Finally, you must be able to prove that you suffered actual injury as a result of the discrimination. This could involve being subjected to a hostile work environment, losing your federal employment, being denied a pay raise or promotion, or facing any other adverse employment action.

Speak with a Pennsylvania Federal Discrimination Lawyer in Confidence

To discuss your legal rights with a Pennsylvania federal discrimination lawyer, contact the Law Firm of J.W. Stafford today. Please call 410-514-6099 or tell us how we can get in touch with you online to schedule a confidential initial consultation.