How to Understand Your Legal Rights If a Charge of Discrimination Is Filed Against Your Company

Posted by Anonymous , 9/5/2007 Tags:UnderstandLegalRightsChargeDiscriminationFiledAgainstCompany
Post By :
Anonymous
Rate:
Vote

How to Understand Your Legal Rights If a Charge of Discrimination Is Filed Against Your Company

Introduction

If an employee files a charge of discrimination against your company, you must know your rights to mount a strong defense. Follow these steps to learn them.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Understand Your Legal Rights

Steps

1

Step One

Visit the EEOC Web site (see Resources below) for complete information on federal laws governing employment discrimination. Become familiar with these laws to ensure that you are complying with them.
2

Step Two

Retain legal counsel. If a charge of discrimination is filed against your company, a business law attorney is a necessity. Your counsel can explain the laws and help you prepare the evidence you need to answer the charges.
3

Step Three

Get training. The EEOC offers on-site conferences and seminars that explain federal antidiscrimination laws and your rights if an employee brings charges against your company. Contact the EEOC (see Resources below) to arrange for a training seminar.

Overall Tips & Warnings

  • An EEOC investigation into a discrimination charge takes an average of 182 days to complete.
  • The EEOC may ask for personnel records, payroll records and other written materials during the course of the investigation. The investigation will move faster if you have these documents handy.
  • Write a statement giving your side of the story. The EEOC encourages this. Try to get this statement to them at the beginning of the investigation.
  • During the investigation of a discrimination complaint, the EEOC investigator assigned to your case may ask to visit your company and interview employees. You may legally refuse, but the EEOC has the option of getting a subpoena to force compliance. Refusing the request also may create the impression that you have something to hide.

Overall Things You'll Need

  • Internet access
  • Attorney
  • Computer
Tools: |