Having coworkers or management treat you differently because of a disability is far from a fun experience. Fortunately, there are several ways you can deal with that scenario. More importantly, you should know you have rights that’ll help when you find yourself amid such an unpleasant experience.
In this article, we’ll tell you how to deal with discrimination in five steps.
1. Learn about your rights
The ADA forbids anyone from discriminating against because of disabilities. Any harassment or unfair treatment of a disabled employee constitutes a crime. At the same time, there are several rules and regulations as well as rights that aid you when you face any sort of disability discrimination. Nevertheless, people often ignore these rights and rules, and because of that, you need to do your research.
2. Notify your employer
When you find yourself in the unpleasant scenario of suffering workplace discrimination, the best thing to do is to notify your employer. You can do so by contacting the human resources department or management. If you’re fortunate enough, discrimination will end there; more often than not, people are unaware of your disability or rights: a quick memo will solve the issue.
3. File an internal complaint
You may find yourself in the unfortunate position of dealing with discrimination after notifying your employers. Past that point, there’s not much you can do but prepare yourself to take legal action. Because of that, you need as much proof of what’s happening as possible. File a formal internal complaint so you can use it later in court. Make sure to do it in writing.
4. Look for legal aid
Now comes the time to look for professional help to defend your rights. Past this point, trying to carry on alone will do more harm than good. A lawyer will know how to file a claim with the EEOC and win your lawsuit if push comes to shove. Look for someone with experience defending people who went through the same as you in the workplace.
5. Ask Your Lawyer To File a Claim
You can threaten legal action before taking this step, but at this point, it would be a waste of time. Talk to your lawyer about your awful experiences at work, and let them guide you through the process. You’re in good hands! Your legal counsel will help you right the wrong you suffered at the office.