Miami-Dade County Firm Helping Victims of National Origin Discrimination

National origin discrimination happens when an employer treats applicants or employees differently or less favorably because: (1) they were born outside of the United States, including in U.S. territories; (2) their parents or ancestors were born outside of the United States; (3) they have a different ethnicity or accent; or (4) they appear to be from a certain ethnic background (even if they are not).

There are federal, state, and local laws that prohibit this type of discrimination. Under federal law, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (“Title VII”), and Florida state law, the Florida Civil Rights Act (“FCRA”), which apply to employers with 15 or more employees, employers cannot discriminate against employees on the basis of their national origin. In Miami-Dade County, for example, similar protections apply to employers that have 5 or more employees. This legal protection means that an employer cannot take into account an employee’s national origin when making decisions regarding all terms and conditions of employment, including hiring, wages, work hours, transfer, promotion, discipline or termination.

For example, an employer who treats an employee from Peru less favorably than her co-worker who is Cuban where the manager is also from Cuba or of Cuban descent, could face a claim of discrimination based on national origin. A disparate treatment claim could arise in various scenarios, including different compensation, preferential treatment when distributing work hours or assignments, or selectively permitting overtime.

Lawyers from BT Law Group have extensive experience advising clients about, and litigating, claims of national origin discrimination. If you believe you have been discriminated against because of your national origin, please contact the attorneys at BT Law Group for a consultation.