Although the United States has come a long way on race, race discrimination in the workplace still occurs and affects hundreds to thousands of workers every year. Fortunately, there are state and federal laws in place that protect workers from being discriminated against because of their race, and workers who are subjected to race discrimination have the right to file a claim and be compensated for their mistreatment.

In 2021, there’s simply no excuse for race discrimination in the workplace. If you believe you or a loved one has been discriminated against because of your race, it’s important to contact an experienced lawyer who can fight for your rights. Understanding the law in Connecticut and some of the common types of race discrimination in the workplace can also be helpful.

Understanding the law in Connecticut

In the United States of America, it’s illegal to discriminate against any employee or applicant because of their race or the color of their skin. In the state of Connecticut, workers are protected under the CT Fair Employment Practices Act, which prohibits employers from making decisions about employees based on race.

Employees are also protected under federal law, specifically Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which forbids employment discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion or national origin, as well as the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which protects workers employed by government agencies.

Unfortunately, though state and federal law protects workers, racial discrimination is still a frequent occurrence in the workplace. Listed below are some of the most common types of racial discrimination in Connecticut:

• Harassment. If you have been subjected to jokes, ridicule, or harassment related to your race, whether from coworkers or supervisors, this is racial discrimination. Workers should not have to work in a hostile environment.
• Promotions. Discrimination can occur when you are overlooked for a well-deserved promotion or raise because of your race, and that promotion is given to another employee of a different race.
• Hiring and firing. When lesser qualified candidates of a different race are hired over you, or you are fired because of your race.
• Unequal pay. If you are being paid less than someone of another race for the same amount of work, you may have a basis for a claim.

As you can imagine, race discrimination in the workplace is not always easy to prove, since employers and supervisors usually don’t admit to making race-based decisions. That is why having an experienced civil rights attorney on your side is so important.

Finding a race discrimination lawyer in Connecticut

At Madsen, Prestley & Parenteau, LLC we currently represent several clients who have experienced racial discrimination in the workplace in Connecticut, including Sgt. Cornelius Rogers, a New London police officer who was subjected to 17 years of systemic racial discrimination by the New London police department. We realize that Connecticut still has a long way to go to eliminate racial discrimination, and we are proud to fight for the rights of individuals in the field of employment and benefits law.

If you or a loved one believes you’ve been subjected to racial discrimination in the workplace, give us a call today at (860) 246-2466 or contact us online for a consultation.