Understanding Employment Discrimination in Massachusetts
Discover Your Rights Regarding Workplace DiscriminationWorkplace discrimination is a critical issue addressed by both federal and state law. These laws protect individuals in "protected classes" from unfair treatment based on their inherent characteristics. In Massachusetts, this means safeguarding against discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age (over 40), pregnancy, disability, perceived disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, and ancestry.
Understanding Discrimination ClaimsIt's important to recognize that not all differential treatment qualifies as unlawful discrimination. Discrimination claims hinge on whether the disparate treatment arises from an individual's protected class status. To establish discrimination, you can either prove an intentional act of discrimination or demonstrate that an employer's actions disproportionately affect protected class members.
Here are some common types of discrimination claims:
What to Do in Case of DiscriminationIf you believe you are a victim of workplace discrimination, consider taking the following steps:
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Time Limits and Damages
Understanding the time limits for discrimination claims is crucial. In Massachusetts, the statute of limitations for such lawsuits is generally 300 days, or approximately 10 months. While articles on the internet may mention shorter deadlines, Massachusetts law allows for additional time compared to federal law.
Potential damages in discrimination cases include:
Potential damages in discrimination cases include:
- Back Wages: Compensation for lost wages from termination until the judgment, considering mitigation factors.
- Emotional Distress: Compensation for emotional distress, varying based on the severity and nature of distress.
- Attorneys' Fees: Employers may be required to cover your legal costs.
- Reinstatement or Front Pay: Rare remedies that may apply.
- Punitive Damages: Possible if the employer's conduct is particularly egregious.
Consult an Employment Discrimination Lawyer
Throughout this process, consulting an employment discrimination lawyer can be invaluable. An attorney can provide guidance, negotiate on your behalf, and assess the value of your claims. Whether you're still employed or have been terminated, legal counsel can help protect your rights and guide you toward a resolution.
Meet Our Employment Lawyers
Emily Smith-Lee is the owner and founder of slnlaw. She is a 1996 graduate of Boston College Law School. She was previously a partner at the Boston office of a large international firm, where she worked for thirteen years before starting the firm that became slnlaw in 2009. She has been recognized as Massachusetts Superlawyer each year since 2013, and in 2018 earned recognition as one of Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly's Lawyers of the Year. She has written a book on employment law: Rules of the Road, What You Need to Know About Employment Laws in Massachusetts, and helped thousands of clients on both the employee and employer side with severance and non compete review and negotiation, wage and hour, discrimination and retaliation disputes, and advice about employment law generally.
Rebecca Rogers: Rebecca is a 2006 graduate of Boston College Law School, and has worked with slnlaw since 2013. She previously worked as an intellectual property litigation attorney for Fish & Richardson in Boston, Massachusetts, and clerked for the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. Rebecca has helped clients with wage and hour disputes, employment discrimination and retaliation claims, review and negotiation of severance and non compete agreements, and advice to both employees and employers about navigating complex employment situations.
Jenna Ordway: Jenna is a 2013 graduate of Quinnipiac Law School, and also earned an LLM in Taxation from Boston University in 2015. She has been affiliated with slnlaw since 2011, first as a law clerk and then as an attorney. Jenna has been recognized since 2019 as a "Rising Star" by Massachusetts Superlawyers. Jenna has helped clients with review and negotiation of severance and non compete agreements, wage and hour disputes, employment and discrimination claims, and advice to small business owners about employment law and other business matters.
Elijah Bresley: Eli is a 2014 graduate of Seton Hall Law school, and has worked with slnlaw since 2020. He previously worked for a boutique employment law firm outside of Boston, and then for the Labor and Employment department of a large Boston firm. He also spent a year clerking for the judges of the Superior Court in Hartford, Connecticut. Eli has helped clients on the employee and employer side with all varieties of employment law issues, including employment discrimination, retaliation, and wage and hour issues, litigation in MCAD and state and federal courts, and advising employers about employment policies and practices.
Sharleen Tinnin: Sharleen is a 2010 graduate of Northeastern University School of Law, and has been with slnlaw since 2023. Prior to joining slnlaw, she worked with King, Tilden, McEttrick & Brink, P.C. on complex civil litigation matters. She previously worked for the United States Department of Justice, and received an "Excellence in Justice" award in 2017. Sharleen has helped clients with wage and hour, discrimination and retaliation disputes, review and negotiation of severance agreements, and litigation in MCAD and state and federal courts on employment related issues.
How We Can Help
We can help you navigate these issues and get clarity on your rights and obligations in the face of an actual or imminent employment termination. You can use the button below to schedule a call back from a member of our team, or give us a call at 781-784-2322.
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