Job Discrimination II: How to Fight, How to Win - Softcover

Bernbach, Jeffrey M.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0965375315 ISBN 13: 9780965375313

Publisher: Voir Dire Pr, 1998

Synopsis

Job Discrimination is a straightforward user's guide that gives workers the know-how and confidence to fight back against unlawful workplace bias. Top employment discrimination lawyer Bernbach gives instructions on when, where and how to file a discrimination claim, and explores the myths and misconceptions of employer invincibility. The author clearly explains the legislation that protects employees and outlines courses of action once a decision has been made to pursue a job discrimination claim.

About this title

From the Author

Half a century ago, employment discrimination manifested itself mainly in terms of racial, religious, ethnic, or sexual offenses, and few laws protected workers from such discrimination. But in 1964, the rights of employees were more clearly delineated when the federal government passed Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, safeguarding working men and women from all the traditional forms of discrimination except age and disability discrimination. The age gap was remedied in 1967 by the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and disability came under the protection of federal law a few years later under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and again in 1991 by virtue of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

For much of my legal career - including a five-year stint as a Wall Street lawyer - my area of specialization and expertise has been labor law. During those early years when I defended corporations, people often asked me to represent and prosecute individuals' cases, but I refused - adhering to the bromide that you can't serve two masters. But by 1990, the demand for individual legal representation had multiplied as men and women became more aware of their rights in the workplace. (Or, perhaps this increase in litigation reflected exponentially the increase in employers' discriminatory practices against employees.) By 1990, it was time for me to reexamine where I was going with my own career interests. In fact, it was time for me to move to the other side of the fence.

I felt I had something to offer individuals with employment grievances - not the least of which was I knew "the nature of the beast," the giant corporations with unlimited staff, unlimited money, and the not-so-limited ability to run roughshod over workers with less power, clout, and resources.

Switching sides was a challenge, but well worth it. As we proceed through this last decade of the twentieth century, employment discrimination claims are escalating. Men and women who have been wrongfully discharged by "downsizing" or "rightsizing" or because they are the wrong race, or wrong size, or wrong sex, or wrong age, or wrong religion, or have the wrong physical characteristics, deserve a fair hearing.

I don't see myself as a latter-day Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird. But I do see a responsibility to help those who have been discriminated against in the workplace get their day in court.

From the Inside Flap

"New forms of employment discrimination seem to crop up all the time. There is certainly a pressing need for a comprehensive overview of this problem. (Job Discrimination) provides an important serviced by informing employees of the range of legal options available to them in cases of job discrimination." Robert J. Torricelli, United States Senator, New Jersey

"Clearly, this is an important issue and one that certainly should be addressed." Andy Friendly, Vice President Prime Time Programs, CNBC

"It is really surprising that there has never been a comprehensive book on employment discrimination considering how important the issue has become. This book appeals to employees but should also alert companies that they better be prepared." Ronald A. Galotti, Publisher, Vogue Magazine

About this edition

• Publisher: Voir Dire Pr
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0965375315
• ISBN 13: 9780965375313
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 192