Discrimination & Holiday Bonuses
Dec. 5, 2018
Unfortunately, discrimination still exists in the United States, especially within the workplace environment. The prejudicial treatment on the basis of race, caste, creed, religion, and sexual orientation may lead to unfair treatment, which may not only create an uncomfortable environment for the employees but also put them in financial disadvantage.
The most common consequence of this bias is unequal pay, known as compensation discrimination. The compensation does not only include base salary but also includes other forms of pay such as bonuses, overtime pay, profit sharing, life insurance, vacation, allowances, reimbursements, among other benefits.
Discrimination and Holiday Bonuses
Employers and managers may show prejudice and unjust attitude towards certain employees by not providing them with bonuses that they are actually entitled to obtain. Primarily, there are two main type of bonuses.
Firstly, there are performance-based bonuses which are paid to employees based on their, as the name suggests, performance or achieving targets. There are certain steps that an employer can take in order to stop an employee from achieving the targets that may qualify them for a bonus. For instance, not providing them with certain tasks or perhaps excluding them from meetings.
Secondly, there are bonuses which are paid to everyone regardless of any factor or condition attached such as holiday bonuses. In this case, the employer can demonstrate partiality by not providing them holiday bonuses. For instance, a Hindu or a Muslim employee may be denied Christmas bonus on the grounds of their religious beliefs.
However, Title VII prohibits employers from discriminating against employees. Thus, it is imperative that employers show equal treatment towards all their employees when providing holiday bonuses. This means that if one employee is given a holiday bonus, then every other employee should also be entitled to the bonus as per their designation, despite their religious background, cast, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.
How Can A Lawyer Help?
If you are denied holiday bonus due to the discriminatory behavior of your employer, then you can file a claim against them by procuring services of an experienced employment discrimination lawyer to seek bonus payment that you were rightfully entitled to obtain.
Using their vast experience and knowledge related to statutes that are applicable to your case such as Title VII, Equal Pay Act, among other discrimination laws, a competent employment discrimination lawyer will construct a solid case in your favor.
A seasoned employment discrimination lawyer will protect your rights throughout the litigation process and may help you to obtain a favorable settlement offer, which will help you to avoid tedious and time-consuming battle in the court.
If you want to know more about this subject or want to schedule a free consultation with an experienced employment discrimination lawyer, it is highly recommended for you to contact the Law Office of Michael Smith.