Las Vegas Discrimination Lawyer
Passed over for promotion because of your age. Paid less than coworkers because of your gender. Harassed because of your religion. Fired after revealing a disability. Workplace discrimination takes many forms, but the result is always the same: qualified workers denied opportunities they deserve because of who they are rather than what they can do. A Las Vegas discrimination lawyer at Lobo Law fights for workers throughout Clark County whose employers have violated their civil rights. We treat our clients like family and pursue accountability against employers of all sizes, from small businesses to major casino corporations.
Discrimination law has evolved over decades of civil rights struggle, creating a framework of protections that covers most workers in most situations. Understanding these protections, the evidence needed to prove violations, and the remedies available requires experienced legal guidance.
Protected Characteristics Under Federal and Nevada Law
Federal law prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, and genetic information. Title VII covers race, color, religion, sex, and national origin discrimination by employers with 15 or more employees. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act covers workers 40 and older. The Americans with Disabilities Act covers disability discrimination.
Nevada law expands these protections. Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 613 prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, and national origin.
Sex discrimination encompasses multiple forms of prohibited conduct. Discrimination based on pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions is explicitly prohibited. Sexual harassment constitutes sex discrimination. Following recent Supreme Court decisions, discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity also falls under sex discrimination prohibitions.
Religious discrimination includes not only bias against particular faiths but also failure to accommodate sincerely held religious beliefs. Employers must provide reasonable accommodations for religious practices unless doing so would cause undue hardship.
Disability discrimination encompasses both adverse treatment based on disability and failure to provide reasonable accommodations. The interactive process requires employers and employees to work together to identify accommodations that allow disabled workers to perform essential job functions.
How Discrimination Cases Are Proven
Direct evidence of discrimination is rare. Few employers announce discriminatory motives or put them in writing. More often, discrimination must be proven through circumstantial evidence.
The McDonnell Douglas framework provides the basic structure for circumstantial evidence cases. First, the employee establishes a prima facie case by showing membership in a protected class, qualification for the position, adverse employment action, and circumstances suggesting discrimination. The burden then shifts to the employer to articulate a legitimate, non-discriminatory reason. Finally, the employee must show that this stated reason is pretextual.
Pretext can be established in multiple ways. Evidence that the stated reason is factually false undermines employer credibility. Inconsistent application of policies suggests discrimination. Shifting explanations over time indicate that none of the explanations are genuine.
Comparator evidence plays a crucial role. Showing that similarly situated employees outside the protected class received better treatment supports discrimination claims.
Workplace Discrimination in Las Vegas Industries
The casino and hospitality industry dominates Las Vegas employment and presents particular discrimination challenges. Front-of-house positions involving customer interaction sometimes become vehicles for appearance-based discrimination that correlates with race, age, and other protected characteristics.
The diverse workforce that serves Las Vegas tourists sometimes faces discrimination from employers who prefer workers who look or sound a certain way. Accent discrimination, which often correlates with national origin, affects workers in customer-facing roles.
Age discrimination affects long-term hospitality workers as the industry constantly seeks younger employees. Experienced dealers, servers, and hotel workers find themselves pushed out despite superior skills.
Construction and industrial employers sometimes maintain workplaces hostile to women, minorities, and other protected groups.
Types of Discriminatory Conduct
Hiring discrimination occurs when employers screen out applicants based on protected characteristics. Discriminatory job postings, biased interview questions, and selection processes that favor certain groups all violate the law.
Promotion discrimination denies advancement opportunities based on protected characteristics. Glass ceilings that limit women and minorities from senior positions and subjective promotion criteria that advantage certain groups contribute to discriminatory promotion practices.
Pay discrimination creates compensation disparities based on protected characteristics. The Equal Pay Act requires equal pay for equal work regardless of sex.
Harassment based on protected characteristics creates hostile work environments that constitute discrimination. Racial slurs, religious mockery, age-based comments, and disability harassment all contribute to hostile environments.
Termination discrimination ends employment based on protected characteristics. Pretextual performance concerns, discriminatory selection criteria in layoffs, and forced resignation through intolerable conditions all constitute discriminatory termination.
Las Vegas Discrimination Lawyer FAQs
What if I do not have direct evidence of discrimination?
Most discrimination cases rely on circumstantial evidence rather than direct admissions of bias. Suspicious timing, inconsistent treatment of employees, shifting explanations, statements suggesting bias, and statistical patterns can all support discrimination claims.
Can I sue for discrimination if I was an at-will employee?
At-will employment does not permit discrimination. While employers generally can fire at-will employees for any reason, they cannot fire them for illegal reasons including discrimination.
What damages can I recover in a discrimination case?
Discrimination damages may include back pay, front pay, compensatory damages for emotional distress, and punitive damages in cases of intentional discrimination. Attorney fees are recoverable under most discrimination statutes.
How long does a discrimination case take?
Timelines vary significantly based on case complexity, court schedules, and whether the case settles or proceeds to trial. Administrative proceedings can take months. Litigation typically takes one to two years or longer.
Serving Discrimination Victims Throughout Las Vegas
Lobo Law represents workers facing discrimination at employers across Clark County and surrounding areas.
- Casino and Gaming Properties
- Hotels and Resorts
- Restaurants and Hospitality Venues
- Healthcare Facilities
- Retail Establishments
- Construction Companies
- Financial Institutions
- Technology Companies
- Government Agencies
- Educational Institutions
- Transportation Companies
- Manufacturing Facilities
Contact a Las Vegas Civil Rights Attorney
Discrimination violates not just laws but the basic principle that people should be judged on their merits. Employers who discriminate harm individual workers, poison workplace cultures, and undermine the diverse economy that makes Las Vegas function. Lobo Law fights back with the aggressive advocacy that Attorney Adrian Lobo brings to every case. We have seen how discrimination affects workers and their families, and we pursue accountability because these cases matter. If you believe your employer discriminated against you based on race, sex, age, disability, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other protected characteristics, call 702-290-8998 for a confidential consultation.
