A Reader Asks This Question:
I been wondering about possible discrimination that’s happening at my job. I work in a casino and my department is made up of only war veterans and disabled war veterans. I proudly served my country for many years and I just want to know some things.
For the last couple of years every other department have gotten pay raises and just this year every other department got company benefits. I don’t understand why everybody else at this casino is getting everything and my department which is all veterans and disabled veterans is not getting anything.
They mock and laugh at us because they get everything and my department did not. Its creating a hostile workplace I come to work every night angry and leave work every morning even more angry. The disabled veterans do not have proper access to a bathroom that can properly handle there needs.
The casino has done nothing in 5 years to help the disabled veterans with there latrine needs they just ignore it. So would this be an example of discriminating against us war veterans and disabled war veterans?
Oh I forgot to add they hire kids right out of high school and they get paid more and get the benefits. While us veterans who has been here for at least 4 years do not get nothing and get paid less then some kid right out of high school. My bosses will not do anything about this situation they just ignore it completely. This is not right somebody out there please offer me some serious advice on this situation please!!
View the answer(s) below…
i seriously doubt you have a legal complaint here, benefits are NOT required by law and may be offered based on ANY criteria set by the employer except those protected under Title VII……
raises are NOT required, all the law requires is that at least the applicable minimum wage and overtime be paid….. there is even a lower wage for those who are disabled…..
what is different about your department?
how does your job affect the profitability of the casino?
what are the duties of those who you think are being paid more then they deserve?
since all the law requires is minimum wage why do you think the casino is paying more to those you see as less qualified and experienced?
have you talked to the management of the casino about your concerns?
if so what is their reasoning, if not, why?
your first step in resolving this is communicating with management, if they are doing something wrong, illegal or just unfair they can NOT correct the problems until you make them aware…..
(legal issues are their responsibility to be aware of)
how old is the building?
if the casino was built prior to the passing of ADA the access to restroom may not meet the requirements, buildings were NOT required to be retro-fit but if they are remodeled they must be.
if the building is relatively new it should have met all the requirements when it was built and during subsequent inspections……. restroom access is enforced under ADA and by OSHA….. they are the ones to contact to address the restrooms not being handicapped accessible..
http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/disability/ada.htm
http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=9790
http://www.osha.gov
the word discrimination is often thrown around but many people simply don’t know what is and is NOT discrimination….
to understand disability discrimination see:
http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/disability.cfm
and
http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/practices/index.cfm
if you think you are being discriminated against after reading this then read the following, you MUST follow all the steps and procedures to deal with these issues and resolving them favorably…..
http://www.eeoc.gov/employees/charge.cfm
I don’t entirely agree with @michr.
First off, document, document, document. Write it all down and keep it AT HOME!
Does the casino have an employee manual? Does it state in the manual how raises and benefits will be paid? Do they violate their own company policies by giving something to one group and not the other or treating one group differently than they other? Do they violate thier own disciplinary guidelines like giving warnings to some employees, but have a zero tolerance for others? While these things are not “law”, it is illegal if they violate their own company policies. When benefits are not provided and policies are not administered in a consistent manner, employers are vulnerable to claims of discrimination. Most employees don’t know that.
http://www.cfstaffing.com/cfs/employers/resources/the+employee+handbook+the+good+the+bad+and+the+absolutely+critical.htm
Employees hate reading the employee manual because it’s so damn boring, but if you read if from a different perspective, that of a Sherlock Holmes that is looking for violations because the company fails to evenly administer what’s inside of it, you’ve armed yourself with ammunition and can nail them hard. If they fire you, that’s retaliation and that’s illegal and you can sue.
Regarding pay, Obama signed an equal pay law
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2009/01/29/4431409-obama-signs-equal-pay-law
If they fire you, that’s retaliation and that’s illegal and you can sue.
There is also the Equal Pay Act of 1963
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal_Pay_Act_of_1963
Abolishing wage disparity based on sex, primarily women getting paid less than men. Are there women veterans at the casino getting paid less than men, regardless of whether or not the men are veterans? If they fire you, that’s retaliation and that’s illegal and you can sue.
If a company has disabled employees, the employees can request reasonable accommodations to retrofit the bathrooms. Having access to a bathroom is a life necessity. Fight for it. Report them to OSHA. If they fire you, that’s retaliation and that’s illegal and you can sue.
Did you know that veterans are a protected class? You are being discriminated against because of your veteran status. Blow the whistle on that crap and you also put yourself into another protected class, that of a whistle blower. If they retaliate, there isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell of them coming out of it unscathed. Fight for it. Report them to the Veterans’ Department. If they fire you, that’s retaliation and that’s illegal and you can sue.
It absolutely does matter that you’ve got disabled employees being discriminated against, regardless of their veteran status. It also matters if the company policies aren’t being equally enforced across the board. Report them. If they fire you, that’s retaliation and that’s illegal and you can sue.
Pal, you and your buddies are getting f*cked over by that casino. Get yourself a copy of Work Laws Exposed and protect yourself and fight back!
You want some action? Call up your local newspaper or TV station and request an investigation.