Baltimore Employment Lawyer

If you feel that prejudice or bias have been used against you in the workplace, contact an employment attorney in Baltimore to file a claim against your employer and seek justice for the discrimination you’ve experienced. 

It can sometimes be hard to pinpoint when discrimination has taken place, especially at work in situations such as hiring and firing employees. While there are laws in place to protect employees from being discriminated against based on their differences, this doesn’t stop some Baltimore employers from being biased. 

It’s up to Baltimore employees to identify when they feel discrimination or harm have taken place and report these instances to employment protection agencies. That way, the situation can be handled, and, hopefully, the behavior won’t happen again in the future. At Snider & Associates, LLC, we hope to help minority groups and those who’ve been neglected in their work environments. 

If you’ve experienced discrimination at work in Baltimore, a Baltimore employment lawyer can help you seek the justice and remediation you deserve.  

Federal Laws to Protect Employees in Baltimore

Various federal laws are put in place to protect employees nationwide from discrimination. The main law that protects minority groups is Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This act makes it illegal for employers to discriminate on the basis of race, sex, age, color, or national origin. Other federal acts that help to protect minority groups include:

If you’re considered to be an employee in a protected status, then these laws will protect you. A protected status means you fall within one of the categories listed above. For example, say you’re over the age of 40, which means you’re protected from age discrimination, or you have a genetic disease, which means you’re protected from genetic information discrimination. 

Baltimore County Antidiscrimination Laws

Many state and local cities and counties have additional antidiscrimination laws in place to expand upon the federal employment laws. In Baltimore County, for instance, it’s illegal to discriminate on the basis of race, physical or mental handicap, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, creed, or marital status.

The type of mistreatment you’ve encountered at work in Baltimore will determine where you file your complaint. If you believe the discrimination you’ve experienced is illegal under federal, state, and local law, you can choose where to file your claim. Every employment agency has a similar process, but state or local agencies may address your concerns more quickly. 

Federal Employment Discrimination Complaints in Baltimore

If you want to file your claim with the federal government, you can do so through the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). You can file a claim with the EEOC online, by mail, by phone, or at your nearest EEOC office. Speaking to an EEOC employee in person can be beneficial because you can explain your experience firsthand.

You’ll have 180 days from when your incident occurred to file your claim. If a state or local antidiscrimination law reinforces the discrimination you’ve experienced, then the deadline for filing is 300 days. Once you file your claim, the EEOC will notify your employer within ten days. The EEOC may ask you and your employer to take part in mediation and try to resolve the dispute. 

If mediation doesn’t resolve your case, then the EEOC will investigate your complaint. The investigation will include a written statement from the employer and a response from you. The EEOC can take up to ten months to resolve an investigation. You can sue your employer if you receive a notice of a right to sue from the EEOC after 180 days of filing your complaint. 

File a Discrimination Complaint with the State of Maryland

The state of Maryland enforces antidiscrimination through the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights (MCCR). Maryland’s state law makes it illegal to discriminate against individuals on the following factors:

  • Employment
  • Housing
  • Public accommodations
  • State contracts because of race 
  • Color
  • Religion or creed
  • Sex
  • Age
  • Ancestry or national origin 
  • Marital status
  • Physical or mental disability
  • Sexual orientation
  • Gender identity
  • Genetic information (employment only)

Maryland antidiscrimination law strongly protects Baltimore employees, so filing a complaint through the MCCR can be beneficial if your workplace rights have been violated. You’ll have six months from when your incident occurred to initiate an inquiry online and file your complaint in Baltimore. 

Your claim isn’t officially filed until an investigator interviews you. Once the interview is complete, the investigator will  begin gathering additional information.

Once the investigator finishes their inquiry, they’ll decide whether your case has a probable cause for discrimination. You may receive a remedy for your mistreatment. or you can request a reconsideration of the MCCR’s decision. You can also request a notice for a right to sue after 180 days have passed from filing your claim. 

File Your Complaint with Baltimore’s Community Relation Commission

Baltimore’s Community Relation Commission (CRC) enforces the city’s antidiscrimination laws. You can file a complaint online, or you can meet with a staff member of the CRC in person. You must file your Baltimore employment discrimination complaint within 180 days of when your incident occurred. 

Once you file your claim, the director of the CRC will approve your complaint for investigation, and the CRC will schedule what’s known as a fact-finding conference. A fact-finding conference is a meeting where you, your employer, and a CRC staff member will meet to discuss your incident. This conference is similar to mediation used in the federal complaint process. 

If both parties can’t reach an agreement in the fact-finding conference, then the CRC will begin an extended investigation. If the investigator determines there’s probable cause for discrimination, then conciliation will follow, and the CRC will try to work out a relief method with your employer. 

If conciliation fails, then a public hearing will take place, where the hearing examiner will order your employer to remedy the discrimination. If your employer still refuses to accept this, then the CRC will send the case to court.

Reach Out to a Baltimore Employment Attorney

After filing a formal complaint, you may have the choice to file a private lawsuit against your employer. It’s a wise decision to speak with an employment attorney about your incident to figure out what your options are. At Snider & Associates, LLC, we’ll do everything in our power to ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve after the suffering you’ve experienced. 

If you’d like to speak with a Baltimore employment lawyer about your case in greater detail, fill out the contact form below or call 410-653-9060.


Snider & Associates, LLC

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