Fighting Workplace Harassment, Discrimination And Wrongful Termination In Wisconsin
No one should have to experience workplace discrimination or workplace harassment. Our lawyers at Kasieta Legal Group, LLC, have been assisting the Madison and Dane County community with employment law services for decades. Whether you need an employment law attorney to review various employment contracts or to fight a wrongful termination, our legal team has the experience to assist you with any employment law issues or conflicts.
Protecting Your Work Environment
We spend a lot of time each week at our jobs and doing our work. Our work environment should be a safe place. When discrimination and harassment happen in the workplace environment, it can affect our emotional well-being. When that discrimination or harassment goes so far as to cause you to quit or even worse, get fired, that discrimination or harassment has a detrimental impact on your entire career, your standard of living and your family. It might also be illegal, and provide the basis for a wrongful termination lawsuit against your employer.
Two Types Of Workplace Harassment
The two types of workplace harassment are:
- Quid pro quo: This is when a coworker or superior asks for personal favors in exchange for professional advancement, like requesting sex for a promotion, project opportunity or raise.
- Hostile work environment: The company or its leadership promotes a work environment where discriminatory jokes or practices are part of the overall work culture.
You should never have to exchange personal favors for advancement opportunities or deal with a work culture that devalues you.
What Are Some Examples Of Workplace Discrimination?
You may be a victim if you are:
- Denied support because of your protected class.
- Fired because of your protected class.
- Passed over for a promotion because of your protected class.
- Not hired because of your protected class.
- The subject of office jokes or harassment because of your protected class.
- Treated differently than your coworkers because of your protected class.
We can help you determine whether you experienced employment discrimination based on your circumstances. Call 608-291-9650 so we can learn more about your situation.
What Should You Do If You Are Facing Harassment Or Discrimination At Work?
If you believe that you are experiencing workplace harassment or workplace discrimination, if possible, you should try to discuss your situation with your supervisor or the human resources department and follow any protocol for reporting harassment or discriminatory behavior. You should also take detailed notes of what has happened and save any documents, emails or other physical evidence. If your employer is not able to address the harassment or discriminatory behavior, you should talk to an experienced employment law attorney about your legal options and rights.
Illegal Firing And Wrongful Termination
In the state of Wisconsin, employment is at will, meaning that an employer can fire any of its employees for any reason or no reason at all. However, state and federal laws make it illegal to fire an employee for certain reasons, including terminating you:
- For reasons that violate an existing employment contract
- In retaliation for exercising your rights
- In retaliation for reporting discriminatory or harassing behavior
- In retaliation for reporting workplace safety violations
- For any discriminatory reason
State and federal laws also make employment discrimination illegal. It is illegal for employers to discriminate against any employees in a protected class. This means it is illegal for an employer to fire employees based on their age, race, religion, national origin, sex, sexual preference, gender, gender identity, marital status, or pregnancy. In the state of Wisconsin, in some cases, it is also illegal for an employer to fire an employee for an arrest, conviction record or military service. In addition, workplace sexual harassment is considered a form of employment discrimination based on sex.
Every potential discrimination or sexual harassment case is different and has its own unique set of circumstances and facts. An experienced employment law attorney can help analyze your particular situation to determine if you would have a claim for wrongful termination, workplace harassment or workplace discrimination.
Contact An Employment Law Intake Specialist Today
You do not have to face workplace discrimination or harassment alone. We offer a free, no-obligation assessment of your potential employment claim. Call us at 608-291-9650 to speak with an experienced intake specialist. You can also contact us online.