Workers in Montana that have faced employment discrimination might qualify to file a claim with a state or federal agency. Filing a successful Montana employment discrimination claim requires workers to compile convincing evidence, as well as ensure the filing of a complaint reaches the proper government agency before the statute of limitations ends.
If you have been discriminated against at work by your employer, hiring an employment law attorney can give your claim a significant boost.
What Kind of Discrimination Laws Does Montana Law Cover?
At the federal level, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 offers workers legal protections against workplace discrimination in Montana.
The only major exception is when employment discrimination occurs because of a worker’s age. Enacted three years after passage of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) prohibits employers from discrimination against employees because of their age
In Montana, employment discrimination represents the practice of treating certain individuals or a group of people differently because of a specific factor or factors.
Montana workplace discrimination is forbidden under the Montana Human Rights Act, which establishes several protected classes of workers.
Who is Protected Against Employment Discrimination in Montana?
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 lays the legal groundwork for states like Montana to enact stricter employment discrimination laws. Here are the protected classes of workers that are covered by the historic federal law.
- Gender identity
- Sex
- Color
- Religion
- Disability
- Race
- National origin
- Citizenship status
- Sexual orientation
The ADEA prohibits employers from discriminating against workers that are 40 years of age or older. Workplace discrimination in Montana exceeds the prohibitions listed in Title VII by making it unlawful for employers to discriminate against workers because of their political beliefs.
What Employers are Covered by Discrimination Laws in Montana?
If you have been discriminated against at work in Montana, your employer must have at least 15 employees for you to file a claim at the federal level.
The Montana Human Rights Act allows employees to file a complaint against any employer for discrimination in the workplace. Employees that work for companies that have between one and 14 workers should file a workplace discrimination claim by referring to the state’s Human Rights Act.
Which Montana Agency Enforces Employment Discrimination Law?
If you want to file a complaint against your employer for workplace discrimination, you need to submit your documents to the Montana Human Rights Bureau. The state agency is part of the state’s Department of Labor and Industry.
How Do I File an Employment Discrimination Claim in Montana?
You can file a workplace discrimination claim either with the Montana Human Rights Bureau or the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The two government agencies have a work-sharing agreement that ensures both agencies receive the same information for the filing of the same employment discrimination claim.
Filing a workplace discrimination claim in Montana requires workers to submit a formal application and supporting documents with the Helena location of the Human Rights Bureau. You can file a claim in person or via snail mail.
Human Rights Bureau
- 1625 11th Avenue, Second Floor
- Helena, MT 59601
- PO Box 1728
- Helena, MT 59624
- Phone: (406) 444-6543
How Long Do I Have to File an Employment Discrimination Claim in Montana?
If you want to file an employment discrimination claim in Montana, you must act with a sense of urgency. Both the Montana Human Rights Bureau and the EEOC have established a 180-day statute of limitations for filing workplace discrimination claims.
The clock starts ticking on the statute of limitations the last day that you faced discrimination in the workplace.
If you follow the procedure for filing a discrimination claim in Montana according to an employment contract or a collective bargaining agreement, then you have 300 days to submit the paperwork required to file a workplace discrimination claim in Montana.
How Do I Get Help Filing an Employment Discrimination Claim in Montana?
Filing a discrimination claim against your employer is a serious accusation. Your employer most likely has legal counsel on staff to navigate the often prolonged legal process. This means you need to contact an employment law attorney to counterbalance your employer’s legal representation.
An employment law lawyer can help you file a claim before the expiration of the statute of limitations. You also get the legal expertise to gather and organize the evidence you need to persuade either the Montana Human Rights Bureau or the EEOC to approve your complaint.
Schedule a free case evaluation today with an employment law attorney.
