Compensation for Employment Discrimination

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and New York state law prohibits certain types of employment discrimination. Under ordinary circumstances, the goal of recovery for employment discrimination is to put you in the position you would have been if the discrimination had not occurred. This standard usually means monetary damages. Damages can be awarded in most kinds of employment discrimination cases. In order to ensure that you get the compensation you deserve, you should call an attorney as soon as you suspect you have been the victim of employment discrimination.

Compensatory & Punitive Damages

The standard recovery in employment discrimination is compensatory damages which are designed to make you whole. In other words, the money is to make up for losses and costs to you caused by the discrimination. On the other hand, Punitive damages are intended to punish an employer where the discrimination has been egregious and pervasive.

An exception to this is intentional age or sex Discrimination. In those cases, the victim recovers “liquidated damages.”  The amount will equal any back pay awarded.

Limits on Compensatory & Punitive Damages

Generally, federal law limits compensatory and punitive damage amounts based on the size of the employer.

  • For employers with 15-100 employees, the limit is $50,000.
  • For employers with 101-200 employees, the limit is $100,000.
  • For employers with 201-500 employees, the limit is $200,000.
  • For employers with more than 500 employees, the limit is $300,000.

What Do Compensatory Damages Include

Again, damages are awarded to put you in the position you would have been in if the discrimination had never happened. These damages can include

  • Back pay
  • Job search out-of-pocket costs
  • Medical expenses
  • Emotional distress

Punitive damages, in contrast, are for punishing an employer whose conduct was egregious, pervasive, or intentional.

Call a New York Employment Discrimination Lawyer Today for a Free Consultation

At A.Y.G., PLLC, we are committed to helping people who have suffered discrimination obtain the compensation they deserve. We will review your case at no cost to you and let you know whether we believe you have a claim. To schedule you free consultation with an experienced attorney, call our office today at 646-201-8625 or contact us online.

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