Is Your Employer Discriminating Against You Under Ohio Employment Law?

If you think your Columbus, OH employer is discriminating against you in violation of Ohio employment law, you do have recourse. It’s important to talk with an attorney as soon as you can, though. You’ll need experienced legal advice about whether the behavior has crossed a line and what legal steps you should take to deal with it.

Signs of Discrimination

Under Ohio law, discrimination happens when an employer treats you differently because of certain personal characteristics that have nothing to do with your job performance. Common obvious signs include:

• Being passed over for a promotion while less-qualified colleagues move ahead
• Unequal enforcement of rules
• Comments or jokes that target your background, religion, or family status, especially if they come from a superior 
• Pay disparities without any explanation tied to seniority or output

More Subtle Discrimination

Sometimes the issue is less obvious and a bit harder to track down, and if you’re not sure, talk to a lawyer about it. You might, for example, find yourself receiving fewer training opportunities than other employees, or you might be excluded from meetings that affect your role. If your workload suddenly increases or if you’re now getting all the undesirable work and hours, that deserves some attention, too.

Protected Classes Under Ohio Law

Ohio law forbids employers to make decisions based on race, color, religion, sex, military status, national origin, disability, age, or ancestry. “Sex” includes both pregnancy and all related conditions, and “age” protection kicks in once a person turns forty.

“Disability” covers both physical and mental impairments, though there is a caveat here: your employer must adapt to your disability, but only so long as you can perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation.

Federal Law

Federal laws like Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protect the same core categories as our state law, and they have been interpreted by the courts to also include both sexual orientation and gender identity under the umbrella of sex discrimination. In practice, Ohio workers can often choose to file under either state or federal rules or both.

Next Steps in Your Columbus, OH Case

Save Everything

First, save everything: emails, performance evaluations, pay stubs, and notes from any meetings. Notes that you keep at the time things happen will carry more weight than notes you make later trying to remember what happened.

Take It To Your Employment Law Attorney

Your attorney can review your evidence and will help you decide what to do next. Most of the time, you’ll first make an internal complaint, and your lawyer can help you draft this so it’s clear and professional. The next formal step is filing a charge with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission or the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Having experienced legal representation can help you organize your evidence and respond to requests for information, and this process can lead to a settlement, a right-to-sue letter (which lets you move on to bring a lawsuit), or, in some cases, the agency pursuing the matter on your behalf.

Visit Barkan Meizlish DeRose Cox, LLP in Columbus today or call us for a free consultation at 740-204-2125. We also represent clients in Pittsburgh, PA.

Tags: discrimination, discrimination lawyer, employment discrimination
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