Employment Law Attorneys in Oklahoma City, OK

Protecting You From Workplace Harassment, Retaliation, and Discrimination

At McBride & Associates, P.C., we are a trusted Oklahoma City law firm dedicated to providing aggressive and passionate representation of our clients in many areas of law, including employment law. We have experience handling cases involving workplace harassment, retaliation, and discrimination based on age, gender, religion, national origin, pregnancy, disability, color, and race.

Our firm is committed to protecting the rights of workers throughout our community by offering compassionate guidance and aggressive legal representation. When your workplace rights are on the line, you can count on us to stand by your side.

To schedule a consultation with our team, submit a contact form or call (405) 896-3615 today.

Workplace Discrimination

Workplace discrimination occurs when employees are treated unfairly or excluded based on protected characteristics, such as age, religion, national origin, color, disability, pregnancy, gender, or race. Such discrimination is strictly prohibited under laws such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), Pregnancy Worker’s Fairness Act (“PWFA”), and more.

Some of the most common examples of workplace discrimination include:

• Age Discrimination: This particularly affects workers over 40 who may face termination, reduced opportunities, or biased hiring practices due to their age
• Gender Discrimination: Women and men alike may encounter unequal pay, limited promotions, or overt harassment based on gender stereotypes
• Pregnancy Discrimination: Refusing to accommodate restrictions related to one’s pregnancy, or, terminating one’s position right before the birth of a baby
• Disability Discrimination: Treating employees negatively because of one’s medical condition, or, employer’s failure to provide reasonable accommodations for the employee’s disability
• Race Discrimination: Systemic bias, derogatory treatment, or exclusion based on race can create hostile environments that undermine careers
• Religion Discrimination: Failure to reasonably accommodate an employee’s needs due to their religious practices, such as, taking a break to pray, or time off from work to attend one’s religious events
• Color Discrimination: Negative treatment of a person due to their skin color or complexion. Color discrimination can overlap with race or national origin discrimination
• National Origin Discrimination: selecting a candidate or employee for a job promotion or position based on the person’s National Origin 

Harassment in the Workplace

Workplace harassment is any unwelcome conduct based on a protected characteristic, such as race, gender, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or national origin. It can also be the basis of a claim by itself when the harassment creates a hostile working environment. However, such conduct must still be motivated by a protected characteristic (listed above) to be actionable.

An example of harassment may include sexual harassment, that is, where job benefits are conditioned on accepting unwanted sexual advances. Common examples include inappropriate comments, unwelcome physical contact, or retaliation against employees for reporting harassment.

Additionally, an example of harassment may include racial harassment, that is, racial slurs, jokes, or name calling; offensive comments about cultural traditions or languages; or, displaying racist symbols, cartoons, or images.

The emotional, professional, and legal tolls on victims of harassment can be overwhelming. At McBride & Associates, P.C., we help Oklahoma employees fight back by holding their employers accountable. With in-depth knowledge of both Oklahoma laws and federal workplace protections, our attorneys provide the skilled advocacy needed to ensure justice and safeguard your rights.

Retaliation in the Workplace

Workplace retaliation occurs when an employer punishes an employee for engaging in a legally protected activity. This can include actions such as reporting discrimination or harassment, filing a complaint with Human Resources (“HR”) or a government agency, participating in an investigation, or asserting your rights under labor laws.

Retaliation can take many forms, including, but not limited to:

• Termination or demotion
• Pay cuts or denial of raises
• Negative performance reviews
• Job reassignments or schedule changes 
• Excluding by supervisors or coworkers 

If you believe you have been retaliated against, our firm is here to help you understand your legal options and advocate on your behalf.

At McBride & Associates, P.C., we excel at building strong cases for employees subjected to discrimination in Oklahoma City. Our legal strategies aim to secure outcomes such as back pay, reinstatement, and compensation for emotional damages, empowering you to reclaim fairness and dignity in the workplace.

Medical Leave Issues

Medical leave allows employees to take time off work to care for their own serious health condition or that of a close family member. Under laws such as the Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”), eligible employees are entitled to up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave.

However, problems can arise when:

• Employers deny or interfere with valid medical leave requests
• Employees are pressured to return to work too soon
• Workers face discipline, demotion, or termination for taking leave

If you believe you have been mistreated in the workplace due to taking medical leave, our firm is here to help you understand your legal options and advocate on your behalf.