Employers in New York are not allowed to discriminate against their employees, as many people know. Unfortunately, many people are fired or forced to work in hostile environments because employers fail to adhere to the law. If this happens, however, employees have the right to take legal action against an employer.
An example of this is playing out in New York courts right now. A man who worked as a finance manager for a car dealership was abruptly fired in March when his boss found out he was HIV-positive, he claims. He has also alleged that several managers at the dealership used gay slurs even though they knew he was gay.
No one should be subjected to discrimination in their work environment, and no one should be forced out of a job because of who they are. In fact, it is illegal for an employer to allow either of these things. Fortunately, wronged employees have options for holding negligent employers accountable.
In this case, the 43-year-old man has filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against the dealership, citing two managers as defendants. He is suing for sexual orientation discrimination and seeking compensation of $4 million.
Dealing with harassment or discrimination in the workplace can be a frightening experience, especially if it leads to termination. If it can be proven that a person was fired based on discriminatory practices, however, he or she may be able to obtain compensation and potentially even get their job back. In many cases, successful wrongful termination lawsuits also result in a change in discrimination policy that can benefit other employees who may have also been targets of harassment.
Source: ABC News, “N.Y. Car Dealership Denies Firing HIV-Positive Man,” Susanna Kim, June 20, 2013