What Qualifies as Racial Harassment and Creates a Hostile Work Environment?

Racial harassment becomes illegal when it’s severe or pervasive enough to alter your working conditions and create an abusive environment. Under federal and New York law, employers can be held liable when racial slurs, stereotypes, offensive imagery, or other race-based conduct make your workplace intimidating, hostile, or offensive. If you’re

Can I Get Time Off for Religious Holidays at Work?

Yes, you can request time off for religious holidays under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which requires employers to provide reasonable religious accommodations unless doing so would create a substantial hardship for the business. Your employer cannot force you to choose between observing your faith and keeping your

What Are Your Rights to Cultural and Religious Accommodations at Work?

Federal and New York law require employers to make reasonable accommodations for your sincerely held religious beliefs and cultural practices—unless the accommodation would cause substantial hardship to the business. This means your employer generally cannot force you to violate your faith or abandon cultural traditions tied to your religion or

Is Accent Discrimination or Your Employer’s English-Only Policy Illegal?

Employers implementing English-only rules or making employment decisions based on your accent may be violating federal, state, and local anti-discrimination laws. Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, national origin discrimination includes treating employees unfavorably because of their ethnicity, accent, or language characteristics—and blanket English-only policies that apply at

What Does “Undue Hardship” Mean for Religious Accommodations at Work?

When you request a religious accommodation at work—whether for prayer breaks, dress requirements, or schedule changes—your employer has to provide it unless doing so creates an “undue hardship.” Understanding this standard is critical because it determines whether your employer can legally deny your accommodation request. Under Title VII of the

What Are Invisible Disabilities and How Can You Get Workplace Accommodations?

An invisible disability is any physical, mental, or neurological condition that significantly limits your daily activities but isn’t immediately apparent to others. If you have a condition like chronic pain, depression, diabetes, or an autoimmune disorder, you have the same legal rights to workplace accommodations as someone with a visible

What Is Constructive Discharge and When Does Quitting Become Wrongful Termination?

Constructive discharge happens when your employer makes working conditions so intolerable that you have no reasonable choice but to resign—and under the law, this “forced quit” is treated exactly like being fired. If you’re being pushed out through harassment, discrimination, dangerous conditions, or systematic mistreatment, you may have a wrongful

What Are the ADA Title I Employment Provisions and How Do They Protect You?

The Americans with Disabilities Act Title I creates fundamental employment protections that prevent employers from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities. If you have a disability and work for a company with 15 or more employees, Title I requires your employer to provide reasonable accommodations that enable you to perform

How Do You Prove Race Discrimination With Direct and Circumstantial Evidence?

Proving race discrimination at work doesn’t require catching your employer red-handed making racist statements. While direct evidence like explicit discriminatory remarks certainly helps, the reality is that most successful race discrimination cases are built on circumstantial evidence—patterns of treatment, statistical disparities, and timing that together paint a picture of unlawful