Racial Harassment Lawyer

Serving Clients in Virginia Beach, Hampton Roads, Washington D.C. & Throughout the U.S.

Racial harassment is a form of unlawful employment discrimination. The Civil Rights Act of 1866 and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 bar employers from subjecting employees to harassment based on their race or national origin.

These laws have resulted in improvements over the years for minorities in the workplace. Unfortunately, racial bias has not been completely eradicated and significant acts of racial harassment still occur every year.

No one should have to deal with harassment and discrimination. When harassment threatens your career and your ability to make a living, you need to take action. While you may feel powerless in this situation, it is important to remember that you have legal rights.

Contact experienced racial harassment lawyer James H. Shoemaker today at 757.223.4560. He proudly helps clients from Virginia Beach, Hampton Roads, Washington D.C., and throughout the United States stand up to workplace discrimination.

What are some examples of Racial Discrimination?

Some instances of racial discrimination are obvious. However, most employers and working professionals know that they can get in serious trouble for racial harassment. In some cases, this does not prevent discriminatory behavior but causes it to manifest in other ways that can be hard to detect.

Examples of racial discrimination include:

  • Refusing to hire an employee based on their race
  • Firing an employee based on their race
  • Disciplining an employee based on their race
  • Paying an employee a lower wage or failing to offer benefits based on their race
  • Failing to give promotions or opportunities for advancement based on race
  • Racially charged communications
  • Racial slurs and epithets
  • Racist symbols

Employers and other responsible parties can be found guilty of having a hostile work environment. They can also face consequences for making racially-based decisions in the hiring, supervision, or retention of employees. Committing or failing to prevent racial harassment in the workplace is unacceptable.

What to Do if You Experience Racial Harassment in the Workplace

It can be overwhelming and confusing to be on the receiving end of racial harassment – especially in the workplace. We all expect a level of professionalism and reasonable treatment from our employers and coworkers.

Racial harassment of any form is illegal in the workplace. If you think that you have experienced racial harassment, please contact Mr. Shoemaker. He will thoroughly investigate your case and offer advice on how you may wish to proceed. If you decide to pursue a lawsuit, Mr. Shoemaker will work tirelessly to get you the justice and compensation that you deserve.

Racial harrasment FAQ

Here are two additional steps to take if you experience workplace race discrimination:

  • Keep a detailed record of any instances of harassment or discrimination. Include the names of the individuals involved, as well as the names of any witnesses.
  • Keep any emails, objects, or other proof of discriminatory behavior, even though it is tempting to dispose of these offensive materials.

There are deadlines for dealing with workplace discrimination, including racial harassment. Protect your rights by calling Mr. Shoemaker today to discuss your situation.

Racial Harassment Case study

  • Mr. Shoemaker represented a young African-American executive in a race discrimination case. Under his former supervisor, the young man excelled and was named Employee of the Year. After being assigned a new supervisor, things changed. The new supervisor used the most toxic racial epithets when discussing the young manager behind his back and treated him in a disparate and discriminatory manner. The new supervisor eventually fired the young man. Mr. Shoemaker gathered witnesses from across the country (California, Texas and South Carolina) and, serving as sole trial counsel against a multi-lawyer team from a large law firm, tried the case before a jury in United States District Court. The trial lasted for five days. The jury returned a verdict for Mr. Shoemaker's client in the amount of $620,000. Mr. Shoemaker successfully defended against the company's attempts to reduce or dismiss the verdict post-trial.

What are some alternatives to Filing a Lawsuit

You may not be interested in considering a lawsuit. You may be more interested in getting advice on how to minimize damage to your career in the wake of suffering some adverse employment action. You may just want our advice on how to maximize your chances of receiving unemployment benefits.

We very often have clients call us for this type of advice. We welcome the opportunity to provide this service, but we must often charge for such services when the client is not interested in taking legal action. We charge very reasonable consultation rates, and we can provide these consultations over the phone or at our office.

Contact Our New Jersey Employment Attorney Today

Mr. Shoemaker is a partner at Patten, Wornom, Hatten & Diamonstein, a firm with experience on the national level. While past results do not guarantee the outcome of any future case, Mr. Shoemaker has represented employees in successful racial harassment and discrimination cases in the past.

Call 757.223.4560 today to arrange your consultation. Mr. Shoemaker serves clients in Virginia Beach, Hampton Roads, Washington D.C., and throughout the United States.

How Can We Help?

* All required fields.
Please only include non-medical responses.

Accessibility Toolbar