Are you looking for an employment discrimination lawyer in St. Louis, MO?
At TGH Litigation, we are St. Louis employment discrimination lawyers committed to thorough preparation in every matter we handle.
If you were fired, demoted, or passed over for a promotion in St. Louis because of your race, age, sex, disability, or religion, state and federal law give you grounds to take legal action. A St. Louis, MO employment discrimination lawyer at TGH Litigation can review that pattern and explain what it establishes. Our founders bring more than 80 years of combined experience to claims against Missouri employers. Contact our office to discuss what happened.
Employment Discrimination Lawyer St. Louis, MO
An employment discrimination attorney represents workers whose employer based a decision on a protected trait rather than on performance. Race, color, sex, pregnancy, age, disability, religion, and national origin all fall within that protection.
Missouri workers filed 1,622 charges with the EEOC in fiscal year 2022, and retaliation appeared in 933 of them, more than any other basis in the state’s charge data. We handle these claims for employees throughout St. Louis and eastern Missouri, in private companies and in public agencies alike.
Types of Employment Discrimination Cases We Handle in St. Louis
Bias reaches every stage of employment, from the first interview through the final paycheck. We represent workers across the St. Louis region in the categories below, which account for the majority of the matters we accept. Each category of Missouri employment discrimination is proven differently, and we identify early which kind of case you have.
- Race and color discrimination. Discipline applied more severely to some employees than to others, assignments that lead nowhere, and evaluations that change once a new supervisor arrives are common indicators. We build these claims by comparing how the employer treated other employees holding the same position.
- Disability discrimination. An employer that refuses to discuss an accommodation, or that terminates a worker shortly after learning of a diagnosis, may have crossed a legal line. We examine what the company knew and when it knew it. A refusal to engage in that discussion at all is frequently the strongest fact in the file.
- Age discrimination. Older employees are often the first selected in a reduction in force and the last considered for rehire. Remarks about retirement plans or energy levels can reveal what a layoff memo conceals. We have pursued age discrimination claims for county employees pushed out late in their careers.
- Sex, gender, and pregnancy discrimination. Unequal pay, denied advancement, and treatment that changes after a pregnancy announcement all belong in this category. Wage disparities in particular can persist for years, because employees rarely have access to the information needed to make a comparison.
- Sexual harassment. Repeated advances, crude remarks, and conduct that creates a hostile work environment can make continued employment untenable. We handle these matters discreetly and treat them seriously from the first conversation.
- Religious discrimination. Scheduling, dress codes, and grooming policies are the usual points of conflict. An employer generally must consider an adjustment for a sincerely held belief before refusing one, and a refusal without justification can give rise to a legal claim.
- National origin discrimination. Ancestry, ethnicity, and accent are not lawful grounds for an employment decision, and this form of bias often overlaps with race or religion. English-only rules that serve no business purpose can also support a claim.
- Whistleblowers. Punishing an employee for reporting discrimination or illegal conduct is a violation in its own right, regardless of how the underlying complaint is resolved. We represent workers who raised concerns and suffered professionally as a result.
Why Choose TGH Litigation as my Employment Discrimination Lawyer in St. Louis, MO?
Attorney Experience in Workplace Bias Claims
Joanna Trachtenberg litigates employment discrimination, whistleblower protection, workers’ compensation retaliation, and wage and hour matters. She also represents teachers and faculty in school and university proceedings, including civil rights investigations, disciplinary hearings, and tenure and promotion disputes, and she advises workers on separation and non-compete agreements. She earned her J.D. cum laude from NYU School of Law in 2005 and is admitted in Missouri, New York, the Eighth Circuit, and both Missouri federal districts. Bias claims are one component of what an employment lawyer in St. Louis, MO handles, and that practice also covers retaliation, wage disputes, and contract review.
Verdicts Against Missouri Employers
Our attorneys obtained a $6.14 million verdict against St. Louis Public Schools in a case involving sex discrimination and retaliation, and an $11.2 million verdict against a state university for unlawful retaliation. An appellate panel reinstated a discrimination lawsuit against another Missouri university after a trial court dismissed it. Across bias and retaliation matters, our firm has helped employees recover millions of dollars. When an employer refuses a fair resolution, we are prepared to try the case. Consultations are free, and we act for workers only.
Understanding Employment Discrimination Cases
Liability, Proof, and Damages in Discrimination Claims
A discrimination claim turns on three findings: that a protected trait played a role, that the employer took an adverse action, and that the two are connected. Liability follows from that connection. The harm you sustained determines what the claim is worth. Federal remedies for discrimination are designed to restore an employee to the position they would otherwise have held.
- Protected traits. Race, color, sex, pregnancy, age, disability, religion, national origin, and related characteristics.
- Adverse action. A termination, a demotion, a denied promotion, a pay cut, or working conditions made hostile because of a protected trait.
- Causation. Proof that the trait rather than performance drove the decision, generally established through comparisons, timing, and explanations that shift.
- Back pay and front pay. Wages and benefits already lost, plus future earnings when a return to the position is not realistic.
- Compensatory damages. Compensation for emotional harm and for the out-of-pocket costs the discrimination caused.
- Punitive damages. Available when an employer acted with malice or reckless disregard for the law.
- Attorney’s fees. Many discrimination laws permit a prevailing employee to recover the cost of legal representation.
What Are Important Aspects of an Employment Discrimination Case?
Comparator evidence carries substantial weight. When a coworker outside your protected group committed the same infraction and retained their position, that contrast is often more persuasive than any testimony about a supervisor’s intent. Timing matters nearly as much, particularly when an adverse action follows a complaint, a leave request, or a manager’s discovery of a diagnosis.
The documentary record is critical. Reviews written before the difficulty began frequently contradict the reasons an employer offers afterward, which is why we request the complete personnel file early. Preserve the records you have in a location your employer does not control. Employees often ask whether to quit or be fired while a problem develops, and that decision can alter the shape of a claim. Missouri is an at-will employment state, a point employers raise often, though at-will status still offers employee protections.
What Is The Employment Discrimination Case Timeline?
Some claims resolve within months. Others extend considerably longer, particularly when an employer contests every stage.
- Consultation. We review the facts and advise whether a viable claim exists.
- Agency charge. Most claims begin with a filing at the EEOC or with the state office that handles discrimination complaints.
- Investigation. The agency reviews the complaint while we gather records and identify witnesses.
- Right to sue. Once the agency process closes, the matter can proceed to court.
- Resolution. The case settles, is dismissed, or goes to trial.
What Should You Bring to Your Employment Discrimination Consultation?
Bring the documents you have, even if the file is incomplete. Partial records still tell us a great deal about what occurred and when.
- Performance reviews, write-ups, and termination paperwork.
- Emails, text messages, and dated notes about specific incidents.
- Pay records, offer letters, and any employee handbook.
- Correspondence from the EEOC or a state or city agency.
The consultation is free and confidential. You will leave with a clearer understanding of your options, whether or not you choose to proceed.
What Are Important Missouri Legal Resources for Employment Discrimination Cases?
Federal, state, and city agencies each set rules that reach St. Louis workplaces, and the city operates its own enforcement office alongside the state and federal ones. The pages below are useful starting points for a worker seeking to understand the process.
- The Missouri Human Rights Act addresses discrimination in employment throughout the state.
- The EEOC explains how to file a charge of discrimination.
- The City of St. Louis publishes discrimination and your rights for city workplaces.
- Federal employment lawsuits are heard at the Eagleton courthouse downtown.
- State law claims arising in the city are filed in the 22nd Judicial Circuit court.
Reach Out to TGH Litigation to Schedule a Consultation
If a protected trait shaped a decision about your employment, our attorneys can explain where you stand. The first consultation with TGH Litigation is free and confidential, and we will describe what a claim would involve before you commit to anything. New inquiries usually receive a response within one business day. Contact us to speak with a St. Louis employment discrimination attorney about your case.