Federal Discrimination EEO

If you’re a federal employee who believes you’ve been a victim of workplace injustice, denied a promotion you were qualified for, subjected to discriminatory behavior and retaliation by coworkers and the agency, subjected to disciplinary actions you believe were the result of retaliation or discrimination in the workplace.

We routinely represent federal employees for EEO discrimination complaints. We can assist you relief. We offer guidance and support, customized legal strategy, and expertise in federal employment law. 

Federal employment law is a highly specialized field, often much different than state law and federal employment. Federal employees facing employment challenges find it difficult to navigate the significant procedural and legal requirements an agency action for discipline, discrimination, whistleblower retaliation, and suspension and revocation of security clearances.  A federal discrimination attorney understands the technicalities of regulations, statutes, and case law about federal employees. 

In addition, a federal discrimination attorney knows the nuances of federal discrimination laws and how they apply to your situation.  

Federal discrimination cases can be emotionally draining and legally challenging. We provide guidance and emotional support during these trying times. 

We can help you understand the federal discrimination laws that apply to your case, ensuring you are well-informed and equipped to make the right decisions.

In addition, we offer support throughout the investigation, negotiation, and litigation phases, ensuring you are never alone in your pursuit of justice.

It is important to contact a federal discrimination attorney upon discovering potential discrimination and retaliation. There’s a short window of time to informally complain to preserve your rights.

There is no one-size-fits-all in legal representation. We understand this and tailors their legal strategy to meet the unique demands of your case.

Whether pursuing a settlement, guiding you through administrative proceedings, or representing you in court, a federal discrimination attorney crafts a strategy that maximizes your chances of a favorable outcome.

A federal discrimination attorney performs several key roles to support you:

• Legal counseling – They help clients understand their rights, potential legal remedies, and the steps to take in pursuing a discrimination claim.
• Investigating claims – Attorneys in this field conduct thorough investigations into their clients’ discrimination claims, gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, and assessing the merits of the case.
• Filing complaints – These attorneys assist clients in filing discrimination complaints with the appropriate federal agencies, such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for federal workplace discrimination cases.
• Negotiation and mediation – Federal discrimination attorneys may reach a settlement on behalf of their clients to resolve discrimination cases without going to court.
• Litigation – If the parties involved can’t resolve the case through negotiation or mediation, these attorneys can represent their clients in federal court.
• Guiding accommodation and retaliation – These attorneys can advise clients on reasonable accommodations for disabilities and protection against retaliation for reporting discrimination or participating in discrimination investigations.

A federal employment attorney ensures employees’ rights are protected and advocates for justice when discrimination occurs in the federal workplace.

A federal discrimination attorney is a legal professional who handles workplace discrimination cases involving federal employment laws and regulations.

Their primary role is to advocate for employees who have experienced discrimination, such as race, gender, age, disability, religion, or national origin-based discrimination in federal government agencies or federally regulated industries.

Employees of both private enterprises and federal agencies are protected by federal laws that prohibit discrimination, harassment and retaliatory action in the workplace. Private enterprises, however, enjoy a bit more latitude when deciding to fire an employee. In short, it is difficult to fire a federal employee. But some differences in EEO case handling are not favorable for federal employees. Although there are various exceptions our federal employee rights attorneys might be able to help with, most federal employees need to contact the EEOC to intiate counseling within 45 days, but many private sector employees have 180 days or more to reach out to the EEOC. Unfortunately, federal employees also often experience the symptoms of a hostile work environment in a worse way given their federal careers, federal benefits, and that, for them, leaving for a new “employer” is not as simple as it is in the private sector.You shouldn’t be bullied out of your job. Let our federal employment law attorneys at Southworth PC see if they can go to work for you by filing a claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). From our offices in Atlanta and Washington, D.C., we help federal employees nationwide, and even, especially with DOD entities, worldwide.

The EEOC is a federal investigatory agency that reviews and analyzes job discrimination complaints based on race, religion, national origin, color, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, age or disability. Theoretically, the EEOC works to protect federal employees from a hostile work environment, discrimination, and retaliation, but navigating the system can be complex.

• Employer retaliation
• Wrongful termination
• Discrimination on the basis of sex, race, age, religion, color, genetic information, national origin, disability or pregnancy
• Workplace harassment
• Discriminatory hiring, training or disciplinary practices

If you are facing these issues as a federal employee, taking action is not as simple as filing a lawsuit against your employer. There are a number of administrative processes that must be followed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). It is wise to have a lawyer to guide you through this process.

The first step is to file an informal complaint with the EEO counselor at your workplace (or where you applied to work). This stage is theoretically designed to help settle disputes you have with your employer before they escalate into legal action, but in practice, this does not usually happen. Often you might only have 45 days to do this, but there are exceptions which our attorneys know well.

If the dispute is not settled through the informal complaint, the second step generally will be to file a formal complaint with the EEOC. At this stage, the agency will review information and determine if the case should be dismissed due to a procedural error, or if there is enough evidence to warrant an investigation. Investigations usually occur, but often they are not the best. Our federal employee attorneys can help guide you through this process strategically.

Once the investigation is complete, the third step will generally involve either accepting the agency’s decision on whether or not discrimination occurred (hint: they will likely find it did not so this is not the best option usually) or requesting a hearing with an administrative law judge (ALJ) with the EEOC. In many cases, the ALJ can conduct a hearing, issue a decision and order relief if discrimination occurred.

• Costs
• Compensatory damages (such as the pain and suffering you experience)
• Attorney’s fees
• Back pay