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Spotlight on employer-focused discrimination claims

On Behalf of | Nov 19, 2020 | Employment Law

Employers in virtually every industry across Michigan confront broad-based challenges that must be dealt with effectively to ensure success.

A solid and forward-thinking business plan is essential. Making the right call on business entity selection (partnership versus a corporate model, for example) is imperative. Product selection, pricing strategies, customer identification, vendor/supplier relations, regulatory compliance, tax strategies – all these things and more occupy the constant and close attention of company principals.

An especially paramount concern for business owners and managers focuses on workers and labor matters, a point we underscore at the experienced employment law firm of Driggers, Schultz & Herbst in Troy. We stress on our website that, “Employers face a constantly evolving landscape of state and federal regulations governing the employer-employee relationship.”

Title VII: a protective umbrella safeguarding workers

The seminal federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 spawned Title VII, which has now served for decades as the country’s preeminent legislation protecting workers from on-the-job discrimination.

The law’s anti-discrimination provisions (which are now mirrored in state laws spanning the country) contain an enumerated listing of so-called “protected” categories. An in-depth employment law article spotlighting Title VII’s classifications shielded from discriminatory workplace behaviors prominently includes these entrants:

  • Race
  • National origin
  • Gender
  • Religion
  • Pregnancy

An employer cannot legally discriminate against a worker on the basis of any of those categories. Moreover, it is unlawful for a company to act in any manner that promotes a “disparate impact” on a protected class.

Title VII has been materially augmented since its creation by additional laws extending anti-discriminatory protections to other individual categories. Those include age, sexual orientation and disability.

Employers understandably seek to operate within the bounds of law and avoid any blowback concerning allegations of wrongful employee treatment. Taking a proactive stance can be vital for resolving conflict and litigation. A proven employment law legal team routinely helps valued and diverse business clients minimize risks and liability.