Carpenters play an important role in the construction industry. Carpenters do everything from helping build homes and businesses to making cabinets and furniture. If you are a carpenter, you have a special set of skills and experience that help you excel at your job.
Your services are needed, and you depend on your paycheck to cover your living expenses. You do have rights as a carpenter, and if you have been the victim of workplace discrimination, you can pursue a claim against your employer to recover compensation for the damages that you suffered because of their inappropriate treatment of you.
You will need to maintain all documentation and evidence that you can to support your claim. Make sure you address the situation in a timely manner, so you can focus on recovering compensation before it is too late to pursue a claim against your employer.
You should not be discriminated against, and there are laws in place to help protect you from such treatment. You should familiarize yourself with the laws in place and make use of the resources that are available to help you when you encounter such challenges.
How a Carpenter Experience Workplace Discrimination
Workplace discrimination can take many forms. It can be because of age, gender, religion, race, or ethnic background. There are state and federal laws that protect workers from such discrimination.
If an employer discriminates, they can face harsh penalties and the employee could be awarded compensation for their damages. As an example, there are more men carpenters than there are women in the field.
There are groups of women carpenters who are working to break the gender gap and to stop the discrimination that they suffer in the workplace. As an example, a highly skilled female carpenter was turned down for work because she was a woman. The manager made a comment that she would feel out of place with the rough men who working on the job.
Or a woman may be turned down for a promotion because she is told she “doesn’t fit in with the guys.” Either of those situations are sexual discrimination in the workplace involving women who are carpenters.
Filing a Discrimination Claim as a Carpenter
If you are a carpenter who has suffered discrimination in the workplace, you may want to file a claim against your employer. Your first step will be to talk with your supervisor and/or the company’s human resources department.
Provide copies of any supporting documentation and evidence but be sure to keep the original documents and evidence yourself for future use. Maintain proof that you notified your employer of the situation, and, also, be sure to document and maintain evidence of any response or what they did to resolve the matter.
If the matter is not resolved with your employer, you will want to take the next step and file a formal complaint with the EEOC for suffering discrimination as a carpenter. This can be done by filing a claim online or in person at your nearest EEOC office.
You will need supporting evidence and documentation to show what happened, how it happened, and how you responded as well as how your employer responded. The EEOC will investigate and they will talk with your employer to try to resolve the matter. If they do not get the issue resolved, they will suggest that you file a lawsuit against your employer and ask to be compensated for your damages.
If you are a member of a carpenters’ union, speak with your representative. They may be able to offer assistance or guide you in the right direction for a successful claim against your employer.
Help With Your Discrimination Claim
Workplace discrimination claims as a carpenter can be challenging. You may want to enlist the help of an employment law attorney who represents clients in workplace discrimination claims.
Attorneys who focus on employment law are familiar with the state and federal laws that apply to your situation. Your attorney will investigate your claim and will work to prove a pattern of such behavior from your employer.
You should talk with the lawyer about their payment options. Some employment law attorneys take cases on a contingency basis, which means that they are not paid until you win your claim. On the other hand, some attorneys require that a retainer be paid in advance when they take your case.
There is a time limit for pursuing a claim, so complete the Free Case Evaluation Form on this page to get in touch with an employment law attorney that takes cases in your area today!
