New Hampshire Race Discrimination and Harassment Lawyer

Race discrimination is, regrettably, a common problem in the workplace. Federal and New Hampshire laws prohibit employers from discriminating against workers based on race. The attorneys at the New Hampshire Employee Rights Group have decades of experience fighting race discrimination.

How Does Race Discrimination Occur in the Workplace?

Race discrimination occurs when an employer makes a personnel decision (hiring, firing, promotion, pay, etc.) and race is a factor in the decision. For example, if an employer only hires white applicants for certain jobs or excludes non-white employees from the most lucrative job assignments, this is race discrimination. Sometimes race is not the only factor in an employer's decision but if race plays any role at all, the decision is unlawful. For example, if an employer plans to lay off some employees and uses a variety of factors to choose who to layoff, the layoff decision would be illegal if the employer considered race as one factor, along with other factors like seniority or job performance, to choose an employee for layoff.

Another common form of race discrimination is racial harassment. If an employer permits racial harassment to create an offensive, intimidating, or hostile work environment, it can be liable for race discrimination.

Some common forms of racial harassment that can create a hostile work environment include:

• Racially insensitive jokes or racial slurs uttered orally or through email;
• Violent threats or physical attacks against people of certain racial groups;
• Offensive emails or text messages that demean certain racial groups;
• Racially charged graffiti or symbols, like nooses, in the workplace;
• Hostile actions against people of certain racial groups because of racist stereotypes, such as hostility toward people of Middle Eastern descent because the harasser thinks they are "all terrorists." (Discrimination against certain ethnic groups may also be national origin discrimination, which is also illegal.)

There are many ways that race discrimination can occur in the workplace. If you believe an employer has treated you differently because of your race or that you have been subjected to racial harassment, contact the New Hampshire Employee Rights Group to learn more about your rights.

New Hampshire and Federal Laws Prohibit Race Discrimination

The federal Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1866 as well as the New Hampshire Law Against Discrimination prohibit race discrimination in employment. The U.S. and New Hampshire constitutions also prohibit public employers from discriminating against workers based on their race.

Remedies for Race Discrimination

Employers that discriminate against workers based on their race may be liable for damages. If a court or jury finds that an employer discriminated against a worker based on their race, the employer may be required to compensate the worker for their financial and emotional injuries. Some employers who discriminate based on race may also have to pay punitive damages.

In order to file a race discrimination lawsuit under the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 or New Hampshire law, you must first clear certain procedural hurdles. Speak to an experienced employment lawyer for help with filing a race discrimination claim.

Trust Your Case to Experienced Attorneys

You should not tolerate racial discrimination or harassment in the workplace. The lawyers of the New Hampshire Employee Rights Group are committed to fighting race discrimination and have decades of experience doing so. We help victims of race discrimination and racial harassment from Portsmouth to Pittsburg and every place in New Hampshire in between. Call 833.365.2929 or fill out our online contact form to schedule your consultation.

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