Housekeepers play an integral role in society. They ensure that hotels, motels, inns, bed and breakfasts, residential facilities, apartments, and homes are cleaned and looking their best. Just like any other employees, housekeepers work hard for their money and count on their paycheck to cover their family’s living expenses and needs. All employers have the responsibility to ensure that their employees have an environment in which they feel safe and welcome so they can be productive. If you have suffered workplace discrimination as a housekeeper, you may be able to pursue a claim against your employer.
How A Housekeeper May Experience Workplace Discrimination
There are many ways discrimination may occur. Sometimes it may be difficult to actually know if it is discrimination. Usually, discrimination is a pattern and it happens more than once. If you suspect you have suffered workplace discrimination as a housekeeper, you should gather supporting evidence and speak with an experienced employment law attorney who represents clients in discrimination matters. You do have limited time to pursue a claim, so make sure you act before it is too late and then you cannot pursue a claim to recoup your losses.
Discrimination could be because of gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, cultural background, and more. As an example, you are a gay man who works as a housekeeper for an apartment complex. You have the experience and qualifications to advance to supervisor, so you apply for the role. The promotion is given to a new hire who is a female with no experience. When you ask your supervisor about it, you are told gay men would not do well in that role.
Another example would be if you required Sundays off because of your religious beliefs. Despite your experience and dedication, your request to work the first shift is continuously denied and you are put on second shift. Your manager said first shift employees must be willing to work on Sunday. If you are experiencing discrimination on the job, you should maintain supporting documentation and evidence for your claim so you can prove what happened as well as when and why it happened.
Filing A Discrimination Claim As A Housekeeper
If you have suffered workplace discrimination as a housekeeper, you should check with the state and federal laws as well as your employee handbook to understand the proper protocol for pursuing a claim to recoup your losses and recover your damages. Your first step will be to file a claim internally with your employer. Talk with a manager, supervisor, or human resources and provide copies of all documentation and supporting evidence.
You should keep evidence that shows you notified your employer and initiated a claim with them. Be sure to document how they respond and keep any correspondence you receive from them about your claim. You want to keep a paper trail, so you can show the entire process and how things progressed. If you cannot get your matter resolved this way, you will take the next step and pursue a claim through the state Department of Labor (DOL) or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
If the EEOC or DOL does not get the matter resolved, or if they find a pattern and believe that the discrimination was intentional and would persist, they will suggest you take the next step and file a lawsuit against your employer in an effort to recover compensation for your damages. An employment law attorney who handles workplace discrimination cases can be helpful with the process and will investigate your claim, gather supporting evidence and documentation, and help you get your claim underway.
Help With Your Discrimination Claim
If you have suffered workplace discrimination as a housekeeper, you should enlist the help of an employment law attorney who handles discrimination cases in your state. With the help of a lawyer, you are much more likely to have a successful claim and recover compensation for your damages. When you speak with an attorney, be sure to discuss their payment plans. Some attorneys will require a retainer to be paid, but others will take the case on a contingency basis and not requirement payment until you have won your case and recovered compensation for your damages.
You do have a limited amount of time to pursue a claim after you suffered harassment in the workplace, so be sure to get your claim underway in a timely manner. Complete the Free Case Evaluation Form today to ensure that your claim is underway before the deadline.
