Race Discrimination Attorney Louisville KY

The Kentucky Civil Rights Act and Title VII of the Federal Civil Rights Act make race discrimination illegal.  It is a violation of the law to harass or treat someone differently in the workplace because of their race or color. 

The Kentucky Civil Rights Act and Title VII were explicitly enacted by lawmakers to correct the damaging effects of race discrimination in the workplace. Race discrimination can often be subtle, but very harmful, and takes on a variety of forms, including:

  • Denial of employment/hiring someone based on their race
  • Making jokes or unwanted comments based on race
  • Assignment of undesirable or demeaning tasks only to people of a particular race
  • Lower pay for the same work
  • Denial of training, education or other benefits to people of a specific race
  • Making a job harder to encourage someone to quit
  • Reduction in forces/layoffs that disproportionately affect people of a particular race
  • Terminations that affect people of one specific race disproportionately as well as policies that provide training, educational benefits, and other benefits only for workers of a certain race.

What Should I Do if I Think I’m Being Treated Differently Because of My Race?

  • Start documenting the facts immediately. Write down any information that supports your claim of discrimination and collect relevant documents like performance reviews or corrective actions.
  • Keep your documentation in a safe file away from work.
  •  If appropriate, discuss the situation with your labor or union representative.
  • Tell your employer about the discrimination. Follow the reporting requirements outlined in your employer’s anti-discrimination policies and file a grievance or complaint if that process is available to you.
  • Decide whether you want to file a complaint with the appropriate county, state, or federal agency and whether you want to speak with an attorney.  
  • In certain situations, it may be beneficial for you to file a Charge of Discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and deadlines for filing such complaints are short.

If you think you’ve been denied an employment opportunity because of your race or you’ve otherwise been discriminated against based on your race, contact the race discrimination attorneys at Abney Law online or call (502) 498-8585.