According to statistics compiled by the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), there is a widespread occurrence of employment discrimination in Texas. In fact, Texas consistently accounts for ten percent of the total workplace discrimination charges filed in the U.S. The total number of all discrimination complaints filed with the EEOC fluctuates from year to year. But it has not declined appreciably since 2009.
The conclusion that employer discrimination is a persistent problem in Texas cannot be denied. How this compares with other states is interesting. Those states with high employment discrimination complaints, according to the federal EEOC are, in descending order from Texas, include Florida, California, Illinois, and North Carolina.
Workplace discrimination is a deeply personal experience with profound consequences for workers and their families. Therefore, workers need to know how federal and Texas state laws protect them from illegal discrimination and what they can do to protect themselves when they believe their legal rights are violated.
Kilgore & Kilgore Texas Employment Lawyers Hold Employers Accountable
Legal rights? Let’s discuss them. Have you experienced discrimination, harassment, assault, unjust termination, retaliation, color, or endured a hostile work environment because of race, sex, pregnancy, disability, age, or national origin discrimination? Reach out to our employment lawyers who can help you decide if what you saw or experienced is illegal and what you can do about it. To get the conversation started, fill out and submit the form you see when you click on this link Contact Kilgore & Kilgore. You can also call us at (214) 949-9099. To learn more about discrimination situations in the workplace, click this link Employment Discrimination legal practice. Also, see our many discrimination articles on our website. Just click here to read more Discrimination Blogs.
Statistics Reveal that Employment Discrimination is Rampant in Texas
The federal EEOC numbers show three unsettling trends. The first trend relates to the types of workplace discrimination issues most frequently identified by Texas workers. Of all the Texas employment charges filed, more than half (57.9 percent) were for retaliation. The other most prevalent issues include:
- racial discrimination (31.8 percent)
- sex discrimination (30.6 percent) and
- disability discrimination (36.6 percent).
The above percentages total more than 100 percent because employees frequently file charges in more than one category.
Types of Employment Discrimination Complaints in Texas
The second point of comparison relates to how the total numbers stack up against national averages. Compared to national numbers, Texas employers account for:
- 10.0 percent of retaliation charges
- 9.4 percent of race discrimination charges (but 12.1 percent of discrimination filings based on color and 13 percent of national origin discrimination filings)
- 9.3 percent of sex discrimination charges
- 9.8 percent of disability discrimination charges
- 10.3 percent of age discrimination charges
Illegal Employment Discrimination Situation in Texas Does Not Seem to be Improving
The third and most meaningful point of comparison in the federal EEOC statistics relates to the question of whether illegal discrimination against Texas workers seems to be getting better or worse. Except for a small statistical blip in fiscal years 2015 and 2016, the numbers are remarkably stable.
Employees Must Actively Enforce Their Employment Rights
Under federal and Texas law, be assured that you have the right to be paid for the work that you do, regardless of:
- race, color, and national origin
- age over 40
- gender
- pregnancy or family status
- disability
At your Texas workplace, you have the right to be free of:
- physical, verbal, and other forms of harassment based on illegal classification
- illegal harassment of others, including co-workers and contractors
- unreasonable safety hazards
- illegal termination of employment
- a change in work conditions so severe that it amounts to a termination
- all forms of retaliation for making a complaint regarding any of the above rights.
These rights are protected under:
- Title VII (Title VII of the Civil Rights Act)
- ADEA (Age Discrimination in Employment Act)
- ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)
- OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Act)
- FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act)
- Federal minimum wage laws and Texas civil and criminal statutes, among other laws.
Employment Discrimination is Pervasive in the U.S.
In a new study last updated in 2020, three in five U.S. employees have witnessed or experienced discrimination. In 2019, 61 percent of U.S. employees had reportedly either witnessed or personally experienced discrimination based on age, race, gender, or sexual orientation. Forty-two percent of employed adults in the U.S. had experienced or witnessed racism in the workplace. Forty-nine percent of American workers witnessed or experienced age discrimination. It is important to remember, though, that these statistics are based only on reported cases.
And this may be only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Everyone has heard stories of workers choosing not to complain. There are many reasons for keeping quiet. Employees do not wish to make an issue in fear for their jobs, for example. This means that the mistreatment goes on and may affect others in the same workplace or beyond.
The first thing to understand is that you are not alone. The second thing to know is that you can get the legal help you need, or at the very least, have your situation evaluated by an employment lawyer.
Getting Legal Help Creates a Powerful Weapon Against Employment Discrimination
So many experiences of discrimination go unreported, creating a haven for employers, co-workers, contractors, and others in the workplace who discriminate against people and get away with it. How can this be stopped? What can we do to make this go away? Legal help is a powerful weapon available to all of us in the U.S.
When You Experience Employment Discrimination, Take These Steps Instead
An employment attorney can help you get the ball rolling toward a legal action that may lead to a lawsuit. An attorney can help you file a thorough, accurate, and convincing claim. Someone who is represented by legal counsel has a better chance of succeeding than those who file claims on their own.
Waiting Reduces or Eliminates Your Chance of Success
The statutes of limitations on employment discrimination lawsuits vary by statute, but they are often quite short. You can easily lose your right to file an EEOC claim by waiting too long. Once you are out of time, your claim is gone.
Our Texas Employment Lawyers Have Answers to Your Employment Problems and Questions
Our employment lawyers have years of experience with employment claims under Texas and federal laws. Contact us if you believe that you have been the victim of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, illegal termination, or other workplace problems. Reach out to Kilgore & Kilgore for a free review of the facts of your case. Click here to get the conversation started contact Kilgore & Kilgore. Fill out and submit this form.