My Boss and HR Ignored My Discrimination Complaints: What Should I Do?
If you experience or witness discrimination at your workplace, the best thing you can do is inform your supervisor or human resources about what happened. In many cases, your boss or an HR rep will take your concerns seriously and handle the issue in accordance with company policy.
However, there are times when discrimination complaints within a company reach a dead end. The subject of the complaints may never be disciplined, or the workplace culture pays lip service to your concerns but doesn’t take meaningful action.
If this sounds like your situation, you’re not alone. The team at Chaunfrau & Chanfrau is here to help. Below are some tips on what to do if you’re ignored by your boss or HR. If you need to discuss legal action about what happened, please contact our law offices in Daytona Beach, Palm Coast, and DeLand, FL.
Tips on Building a Formal Workplace Discrimination Complaint
There are a few steps you can take to build a strong formal discrimination complaint. Rather than presenting your case to your boss or HR, you can take this complaint to the next level by notifying the proper state and federal agencies about workplace discrimination.
Document All Evidence of Discrimination
Keep any evidence of discriminatory behavior. This includes chat logs, emails, messages, screenshots, photos, and even audio or video recordings. Whenever possible, take down names, times, dates, and a summary of what happened.
Having an extensive and detailed paper trail will demonstrate your employer’s lack of commitment to its workers. This evidence will also give agencies and attorneys a lot of invaluable material to build on.
Contact Someone at the EEOC
You should file a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The EEOC can formally investigate matters and let your employer know that outside parties are now investigating reports of misconduct.
Contact Someone at the FCHR
It’s also worth filing a complaint with the Florida Commission on Human Relations (FCHR). Having a state agency look into your complaints can similarly put pressure on your employer to improve its practices and its culture.
Contact a Workplace Discrimination Lawyer
As you consider elevating your complaints, it’s a good idea to consult a skilled Florida employment lawyer. An attorney can hear you out and let you know if you were treated unfairly and what options you have to make a positive difference.
Note the Deadlines on Filing a Formal Complaint
Keep in mind that there are time limits for filing discrimination charges with the EEOC and FCHR:
- You have 180 days from the incident to file a charge with the EEOC
- You have 365 days from the incident to file a complaint with the FCHR
If you need to speak with a lawyer about what happened or find out if you should go through the complaint process, feel free to contact our law offices in Daytona Beach, Palm Coast, and DeLand, FL.
Identifying Different Types of Workplace Discrimination
Job discrimination can take many forms. Below are different kinds of workplace discrimination that current employees and job applicants face:
- Gender Discrimination - This refers to discrimination over your sex or gender.
- Racial Discrimination - This refers to discrimination over your race, ethnicity, or national origin.
- Disability Discrimination - This refers to discrimination over disabilities, which includes temporary disabilities related to medical conditions.
- Age Discrimination - This refers to discrimination based on age, which often targets older workers.
- Religious Discrimination - This refers to discrimination based on your religious beliefs, practices, or attire.
- Sexual Orientation Discrimination - This refers to discrimination over your sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender presentation.
- Pregnancy Discrimination - This refers to discrimination against pregnant employees. It can also apply to recent mothers on medical leave or who have returned to work.
Examples of Discrimination at Work
There are countless ways discrimination can occur while on the job. A few examples include:
- Refusing to hire someone on the basis of their sexual orientation
- Making rude comments about another person’s race or gender identity
- Paying a woman less than an equally qualified male co-worker
- Refusing to make reasonable accommodations for a worker’s needs, such as wheelchair-accessible ramps and desks or providing a private room for prayer or to pump breast milk
- Firing someone on the basis of their advanced age instead of performance metrics
If you ever feel like you’re being treated unfairly or differently because of who you are instead of the work you do, you can share your story with our law firm and we’ll let you know if you have a case.
What You Can Do if You Witness Workplace Misconduct
If you witness discrimination of any kind or see a co-worker experience unwanted advances or overt sexual harassment, you should report that to your boss or HR. Be there to support your co-worker and provide your witness account of what happened.
If these complaints fall on deaf ears, follow the advice above about elevating your complaint to the proper agencies and seeking legal assistance.
How Chanfrau & Chanfrau Can Help You
The team at Chanfrau & Chanfrau has been there for numerous Florida workers when they needed legal counsel. Here’s what our team can offer you.
Board-Certified Labor Law Representation
For more than 10 years, I’ve been board-certified by the Florida Bar as an expert in labor and employment law. Fairness at the workplace is something I’m passionate about. Whether you’re a janitor or a CEO, you deserve to be treated well.
A Record of Successful Verdicts and Settlements
Over the years, I’ve secured six-figure and seven-figure verdicts and settlements for my clients. This includes $2.1 million for a sexual harassment case and $600,000 for a whistleblower retaliation case.
A Generations-Long History of Serving Florida
The legal profession is part of my bloodline. My brother and I follow in the footsteps of our father, our grandfather, and our great-grandmother as members of the Florida legal community. We’ve been so fortunate in life, and we believe we have a responsibility to help others when they need it most.
Contact Our Florida Law Offices Today
To set up a consultation with Chanfrau & Chanfrau, contact our law offices in Florida today. We have offices in Daytona Beach, Palm Coast, and DeLand to serve people throughout the region.
About Kelly Chanfrau, Esq.
Kelly Chanfrau started her legal career in 2001 at a national defense firm. She switched to representing plaintiffs in 2010 and became a board-certified expert in labor and employment law. Ms. Chanfrau is affiliated with the Florida Bar, the National Employment Lawyers Association, and the Association of Trial Lawyers of America.
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