Pasadena National Origin Discrimination Lawyer

Trusted National Origin Discrimination Attorney In Pasadena, CA

Your national origin should never determine how you are treated at work. California and federal national origin discrimination laws prohibit employers from discriminating against employees or job applicants because of their national origin. However, this issue does persist in many workplaces. If you have been denied opportunities, disciplined, or harassed because of your national origin, you should work with a Pasadena national origin discrimination lawyer.

Choose Esperanza Anderson for Your National Origin Discrimination Case

Esperanza Anderson is a Pasadena employment lawyer with over 25 years of legal experience representing employees in workplace discrimination cases, including national origin discrimination cases. She studied at Stanford and Georgetown, giving her a strong legal education that she uses in each case. She is also fluent in Spanish.

When working with Esperanza Anderson, you work directly with her, rather than working with a series of paralegals and lawyers who aren’t invested in your case.

What Is National Origin Discrimination?

National origin discrimination includes unfair treatment and harassment of an employee due to their national origin. Beyond simply an employee’s birthplace, national origin discrimination may involve their ancestry, ethnicity, accent, native language, or cultural background.

Pasadena employees are legally protected against national origin discrimination, whether they work for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Huntington Hospital, Parsons Corporation, or another local employer. Many employees are covered by national origin discrimination laws, as 28.2% of Pasadena residents were born outside of the United States.

Unfortunately, national origin discrimination laws do not stop all employers from discriminating. In the 2024 fiscal year, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) received 684 national origin discrimination charges in California. The California Civil Rights Department (CRD) also reported receiving 4,035 requests to file employment claims involving national origin discrimination in 2024.

Common Signs of National Origin Discrimination

If you are feeling as though you are being treated unfairly or suffering from unwanted conduct because of your national origin, it is worth investigating the case and potentially filing a claim. Some of the common signs of national origin discrimination include:

• Refusing to hire qualified applicants because of their country of origin
• Paying employees differently based on their national origin
• Making offensive comments or jokes about an employee’s accent, language, or cultural traditions
• Enforcing English-only policies without an actual business need
• Retaliating against employees who report national origin discrimination

What to Do If You Are Experiencing National Origin Discrimination

If you believe that you are experiencing discrimination because of your national origin, it is important to act quickly to protect your legal rights and begin resolving the situation. Some steps you should take include:

• Document all discriminatory incidents, noting the specific comments, actions, dates, times, and witnesses.
• Save important evidence, such as emails, text messages, performance reviews, and other proof that may support your claim.
• Report the discrimination through your employer’s HR department, your supervisor, or through another established reporting procedure.
• Keep copies of any complaints you submit, as well as your employer’s responses.
• Hire a national origin discrimination lawyer if the national origin discrimination case is not resolved.

Why You Should Hire a National Origin Discrimination Lawyer

A national origin discrimination case can be difficult to succeed in because you must be able to prove discrimination, adhere to California’s complex employment claims process, and aggressively negotiate with your employer and their legal team. This can be overwhelming and confusing, especially as you are financially and emotionally recovering from discrimination.

Working with a Pasadena national origin discrimination lawyer can make the claims process easier while also improving your chances of recovering fair compensation. A lawyer can help you by:

• Investigating your claim by gathering evidence, reviewing employment records, and interviewing witnesses
• Communicating on your behalf with your employer
• Calculating the financial value of your claim
• Negotiating for a fair settlement
• Advocating for your rights to a fair workplace in court

FAQs

Is it Illegal to Discriminate Based on National Origin?

Yes, it is illegal to discriminate against someone because of their national origin. Key laws that prohibit this behavior in the workplace include the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Under these laws, you have the right to report any discrimination you have experienced and to file a claim against your employer.

How Can You Prove National Origin Discrimination?

You can prove national origin discrimination by presenting evidence of sexual harassment or unequal treatment, and evidence to prove that this treatment was due to your national origin. This evidence can vary by case, but often includes emails, text messages, witness statements, performance evaluations, disciplinary records, or hiring or promotion data. If you hire a national origin discrimination lawyer, they can collect evidence and build strong arguments for your case.

How Long Do You Have to File a National Origin Discrimination Claim?

In most cases, you have three years from the discriminatory act to file a claim with the California Civil Rights Department. However, the specific deadline can vary depending on the circumstances of your case. For example, if you are filing a claim with the EEOC, the deadline is reduced to 300 days.

Because the deadlines can vary but are extremely strict, it is important to work with a Pasadena national origin discrimination attorney who can identify the applicable deadline.

Can an Employer Require Employees to Only Speak in English?

Yes, an employer can require employees to only speak in English, but only in certain circumstances. Blanket English-only workplace retaliation policies are generally prohibited. However, employers can have this policy if it is a legitimate business necessity, such as when speaking with supervisors, clients, or customers who only speak English, or in a serious situation where clear, direct communication is needed to avoid negative outcomes.

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Call Us Today(626) 219-6773

Speak With a Pasadena National Origin Discrimination Attorney Who Cares

Esperanza Anderson works hard to recover the full compensation her clients are owed. Through her aggressive negotiation strategies and willingness to pursue litigation when necessary, she has secured more than $15 million for her clients. Contact Esperanza Anderson today to get started on your case.