Using both federal and state anti-discrimination laws, Mehri & Skalet, PLLC, represents individuals fighting unlawful discrimination that adversely impacts their employment, business, or financial circumstances.
Employment Discrimination
Mehri & Skalet, PLLC, specializes in civil rights cases brought under federal and state laws that protect employees from discrimination in the workplace. The major federal employment discrimination law, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, prohibits discrimination based on
- race
- color
- religion
- national origin
- sex
Other federal laws prohibit employment discrimination based on pregnancy (the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA)), age (over 40, the Age Discrimination In Employment Act (ADEA)), and disability (the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)). Many states have similar laws, and some state and local laws prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation. Discrimination can occur in any aspect of a person's employment, including but not limited to hiring, promotion, pay, work environment, training, discipline and termination. For more information about employment discrimination cases, please click here.
M&S maintains a broad civil rights practice, but some examples of the kinds of cases we specialize in are:
Glass Ceiling Discrimination
M&S investigates and litigates "glass ceiling" discrimination class actions against private companies, in which a small group of salaried employees, on behalf of a larger "class" of similar employees, believe they are being systematically undercompensated and underpromoted due to their race, ethnicity, national origin, or gender or because they are a part of any other protected category. The class action mechanism allows a relatively small group of employees to achieve systemic change at the company, thereby improving their working conditions and gaining broad-scale justice for the entire class.
Testing Discrimination
M&S also investigates and litigates class actions involving the content and administration of tests that disproportionately hinder the workplace advancement of people of color and women. Such tests are a common method of discrimination, but are typically given little attention by class action attorneys.
M&S is actively investigating claims of sex discrimination against women in the financial services industry. We have two cases now on file and continue to investigate other companies.
Senior Executive Exit Packages
M&S represents senior management (up to the level of CEO), high-level financial advisors, and on-air talent who have faced race or sex discrimination in the workplace and seek appropriate economic and noneconomic terms in their exit packages. M&S has achieved extraordinary confidential results in such cases.
Financial Discrimination
In addition, M&S investigates and litigates class actions alleging discrimination in contract formation, lending rates and other financial opportunities that affect small businesses, homeowners, car buyers and other economic actors because of their race or gender. M&S has investigated discrimination against minority business owners who have been denied access to credit and discrimination in providing opportunities to minorities interested in developing their own businesses. Financial discrimination cases can be brought under either Section 1981 or the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. The Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) prohibits discrimination in lending and credit. ECOA allows both individual and class action suits. A successful plaintiff or class may recover actual damages, statutory penalties, punitive damages, and costs and attorney's fees. ECOA applies to all loans, including car loans and real estate loans.
