HARTFORD, CT

(860) 522-8888

|

MILFORD, CT

(203) 691-6491

|

SPRINGFIELD, MA

(413) 785-1400

|

NORTHAMPTON, MA

(413) 341-3639
Skip to Main Content
Hayber, McKenna & Dinsmore

Connecticut Discrimination and
Wrongful Termination Lawyers

Home Wrongful Termination Discrimination and Wrongful Termination
Discrimination & Wrongful Termination Attorneys

KEY ISSUES IN CONNECTICUT DISCRIMINATION CASES

If you believe you have a cause of action for wrongful termination based on discrimination, ask yourself the following questions:

DID YOU (ANY ONE OF THE BELOW):

  • Did your employee reviews take a sharp turn downward after your employer became aware of a trait of yours that might have been discriminated against? For instances, you may have disclosed an illness that requires you take a longer lunch break, and suddenly you were subject to new forms of criticism and discipline, leading to your termination.
  • Did casual comments or remarks indicate bias or prejudice?For example, you are Hispanic. After a long day at work, your boss would often make a joke that you need a “siesta.”
  • Were you treated differently than other employees engaged in similar tasks, and with similar performance? For example, you were the only woman in your office. Other employees have received warnings after slow performance. You, however, were immediately let go without the same warnings that others received.

If you have been recently terminated and feel that discrimination was a factor, your lawyer may be able to help you make a claim of illegal discrimination.

Discrimination and Wrongful Termination

In the United States, we believe in the notion that everyone should be judged on the content of our character, and that we should succeed based on our ability. However, people still have prejudice or bias against others who are of a different race, sex, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, military status and other traits.

Fortunately, there are federal, and Connecticut laws that seek to make this notion of equal treatment closer to a reality. If you have been fired from your job and feel that discrimination was a factor, you may have recourse under the law.

Connecticut Employment Discrimination Lawyer

The Connecticut employment discrimination lawyers at Hayber, McKenna & Dinsmore are proud to fight prejudice and bias in employment by representing workers who have been wrongfully terminated due to a protected trait. We will carefully review the circumstances leading to your job loss for signs of treatment based on racism, sexism or any other discriminatory practice. Fill out our online form today so our attorneys can review your situation.

With offices in Massachusetts and Connecticut, we represent victims of discrimination throughout both states, including Milford, Hartford, Stamford, Waterbury, Fairfield, New Haven, and Norwalk.

Employment Discrimination Information Center

Discrimination and the Law in Connecticut

The Civil Rights Act of 1964, a federal law, offers the broadest protections against discrimination in current law. The Civil Rights Act prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin or sex. It also grants protection against religious-based discrimination. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 furthered the Civil Rights Act to specifically include discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth or the related medical conditions.

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, another federal law, prohibits discrimination based on age. It is illegal to fire a person, for instance, simply because the employer believes that person to be too old.

The Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 forbids employment discrimination against people with disabilities.  A qualified person may not be terminated due to a disability, and an employer must make reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities. This includes both physical and mental disabilities.

The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act protects against discrimination based on veteran status, current military obligations or intent to join the military. It is illegal for a company to terminate a reservist called to active duty, for instance.

The Connecticut Fair Employment Practices Act also protects people against discrimination on account of race, gender, age, national origin, religion and disability.  Connecticut law goes further and prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. An employer may not terminate a person for “coming out” at work.

Protected Classes in Connecticut 

Any of the following traits have some form of legal protection under Connecticut law, and/or federal law:

Subtle Discrimination in Connecticut

When the Civil Rights Act was drafted, discrimination was rampant and open. Employers would post, with their “help wanted” advertisement, that no people of color should even bother applying. An employer would not have hesitated to tell a woman she couldn’t handle a line of work because of her sex.

Fortunately, nearly everyone now knows how wrong those actions are, both legally and morally. However, anti-discrimination laws have certainly not erased racism, sexism or other discriminatory practices and ideas. Instead, discrimination nowadays frequently rears its head in more subtle forms due to the deeply held prejudices people might have.

For instance, a person may attest to abhorring racism. However, that same person may have certain assumptions that people of color are more likely to be lazy. This deeply held assumption, which that employer may not even realize, may lead to him or her treating employees differently. After an unproductive day, that employer may let one employee off the hook as having a bad day while firing another for the same transgression.

However, these subtle forms of discrimination are still against the law.

Representative Results

  • Won Connecticut Supreme Court ruling expanding disability discrimination protection in Connecticut. Curry v. Allan S. Goodman, Inc.

  • Obtained settlement for pharmacy company technician after employer failed to accommodate her disability.

  • Obtained settlement for diabetic property maintenance engineer who was terminated after difficulty with diabetes.

  • Obtained settlement for older worker at automobile dealership who was replaced by a younger worker.

  • Obtained settlement for manager of veterinary hospital who claimed disability discrimination.

  • Obtained settlement for older worker claiming age discrimination who was passed over for a younger man and fired after her complaint of discrimination.

Contact Our Connecticut Discrimination and Wrongful Termination Attorneys

If you’ve been fired or let go from your job and feel that discrimination was a factor leading to your dismissal, contact the Hartford employment discrimination lawyers at Hayber, McKenna & Dinsmore. We are proud to stand up against discrimination based on race, sex, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other legally protected trait. Fill out our online form today so we can review your circumstances.