For years, Employers have been able to avoid liability under the Federal Civil Rights Act because the discrimination (https://labaradams.com/employment-law/discrimination/) suffered was not a “serious,” “material,” “substantial,” or “significant” change in the terms, conditions, or privileges of the employment. Well, that era has now come to an end.
The United States Supreme Court, in Muldrow v. City of St. Louis, Missouri, has ruled that an employee need only show “some harm” respecting a term or condition of employment for discrimination to have occurred pursuant to the Federal Civil Rights Act. While the “some harm” standard appears to have been left to the lower courts to quantify, it is clear that “some harm” is less than “material,” “serious,” “substantial,” or “significant” harm.
To “discriminate against,” as the phrase is used in the Federal Civil Rights Act, means to be treated worse with respect to compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment because of the statutorily protected class- race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Employers will no longer be able to hide their discrimination behind the veil that such acts are acceptable because they are not “serious,” “material,” “substantial,” or “significant.” Employers will now be held accountable.
If you or someone you know has been the victim of discrimination in the workplace, please contact the employment lawyers at LaBar & Adams, P.A. at 407-835-8968 or www.labaradams.com.
