Discrimination can occur in a variety of settings – employment, housing, lending, and education. If you have endured unfair treatment on the basis of age, race, sex, religion, national origin, or more in Maryland, the Collins Legal Group, LLC, will help you pursue the damages you deserve to compensate you for the illegal treatment you have received.

Employment Discrimination

Collins Legal Group protects our clients’ rights under the Maryland Fair Employment Practices Act (FEPA), which prohibits discrimination based upon gender identity, marital status, or sexual orientation, as well as various federal employment discrimination laws, including:

• Equal Pay Act of 1963. Under the EPA, employers are required to give equal pay for equal work to both men and women, even if job titles differ. Equal work means jobs that require the same skill, effort, responsibility, and performed under similar conditions.
• Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VII prevents employers from harassing or discriminating against employees or those applying for jobs on the basis of color, national origin, race, religion, or sex, and prevents employers from engaging in discriminatory practices by refusing to hire, firing, or discrimination occurring through compensation, terms, conditions or privileges.
Civil Rights Act of 1991. The CRA strengthens and improves federal civil rights protections and provides for the recovery of compensatory damages in federal cases of intentional employment discrimination Age Discrimination in Employment Act. The ADEA makes it illegal for employers to discriminate against employees age 40 or older.
• Americans with Disabilities Act. The ADA prevents employers from discriminating against an individual with a disability in any aspect of employment – interviews, testing, hiring, job assessment, evaluations, discipline, training, promotions, layoffs, compensation, leave, and benefits.
• Pregnancy Discrimination Act. As provided by the PDA, it is illegal for employers to refuse to hire or discriminate against a pregnant woman and must treat her in the same manner as other applicants or employee with comparable abilities or limitations. In addition, health insurance provided by the employer must cover all pregnancy expenses on the same basis as other medical conditions with the exception of abortion, for which coverage is not mandatory.
• Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Sections 501 and 505 of this Act protect employees and job applicants from disability-based discrimination, and also requires federal agencies to make reasonable accommodations for known disabilities unless undue hardship is caused.
• Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. The IRCA prohibits discrimination by employers against applicants and employees on the basis of citizenship, national origin, or immigration status.

Employer retaliation against an employee who makes a complaint or participates in a lawsuit filed under any of these laws is also prohibited.

Housing Discrimination

The Fair Housing Act of 1968 (also known as Title VIII of the CRA), prevents discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, or national origin in real-estate transactions. The FHA was amended in 1974 to outlaw discrimination on the basis of sex and further amended in 1988 to add the disabled and families with children to the list of protected classes.

Education Discrimination

The Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974 (EEOA) requires state agencies and school districts to put measures in place to help overcome language barriers that hamper English Language Learner students from participating on an equal basis in state and district educational programs.

Contact a Competent Maryland Discrimination Law Firm

Are you looking for a law firm that is passionate about combatting illegal discrimination throughout Maryland? Contact Collins Legal Group, LLC, at 410-462-4529 to set up your initial consultation today.