Unfair treatment at work isn’t always obvious, and it isn’t always legal. Some actions by employers or coworkers can cross the line, especially when they involve protected traits like race, gender, age, disability, or religion.
You may feel overlooked, singled out, or excluded, and wonder if it’s just office politics or something more serious. The truth is, certain behaviors aren’t just wrong, they may violate federal and Minnesota employment laws.
At Madia Law, we’ve worked with employees across Minnesota who faced these exact situations, often without realizing their rights were being violated. That’s why we’ve put together this list of 6 common examples of unfair workplace treatment. If any of these sound familiar, it may be time to take a closer look at your protections, and what steps you can take next.
1. Discrimination
Discrimination occurs when your employer makes decisions based on who you are instead of what you’ve accomplished. It can manifest in subtle or blatant ways, being excluded from key meetings, overlooked for promotions, or being held to a different standard than others. If those actions are tied to protected traits like race, gender, age, disability, religion, or national origin, it’s illegal.
Example: You’ve been consistently passed over for promotions, even though you’re more qualified than others being promoted, often individuals of a different race, gender, or age. It feels personal. And it might be unlawful.
Federal laws like Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) exist to prevent this exact kind of injustice. If your background is being used explicitly or implicitly to deny you opportunities, you may have the right to file a legal complaint.
At Madia Law, we help employees in Minnesota recognize discrimination when it’s happening and take powerful legal steps to stop it.
For a legal consultation, call 612-349-2729
2. Retaliation
Retaliation happens when your employer punishes you for doing the right thing, like:
- Reporting harassment
- Flagging unsafe conditions
- Requesting medical leave or disability accommodations
- Supporting a coworker’s complaint
- Filing a discrimination complaint.
It often follows a clear pattern: once you speak up, the tone shifts. If your workplace suddenly becomes hostile or your role changes after you speak up, such as a sudden drop in performance reviews, exclusion from meetings, changes to your schedule, or even threats to your job security – that’s not just a coincidence.
Federal laws, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and protections under OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), make it unlawful for employers to retaliate against workers who assert their rights.
We often hear from employees who blame themselves or feel they should have stayed quiet. But retaliation isn’t something you have to accept. If you’ve faced negative consequences for standing up for yourself, or someone else, you may be entitled to legal protection and the right to hold your employer accountable.
3. Harassment
Harassment at work isn’t just uncomfortable, it can become legally actionable when it creates an environment that feels hostile, threatening, or degrading. It might begin with inappropriate jokes, comments, or behavior, but when those actions are tied to protected traits like sex, race, religion, or disability, and your employer fails to intervene, it crosses the line.
What it looks like: Coworkers frequently make sexist jokes, and despite asking them to stop, the behavior continues. Management is aware but takes no action, leaving you feeling targeted and unsafe.
Harassment becomes unlawful when it’s severe or persistent enough to interfere with your ability to do your job or when it creates a toxic work environment. Under federal laws like Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), harassment based on protected characteristics is strictly prohibited.
Prolonged workplace harassment can affect your mental health, your performance, and your sense of safety. You shouldn’t have to tolerate abuse to keep your job. If your concerns are being ignored, you have every right to take legal action, and we’re here to help you do it.
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4. Favoritism
It’s demoralizing to watch others get ahead when you’ve done everything right, but if favoritism is tied to who you are, not how you perform, it may be illegal. Favoritism occurs when supervisors consistently give better assignments, opportunities, or recognition to certain employees based on personal preferences rather than merit, qualifications, or performance.
Example: Your supervisor regularly hands the most high-profile projects to a colleague, even though you have more experience, stronger results, and a proven track record.
On its own, favoritism isn’t always unlawful. But when it systematically excludes or disadvantages employees based on protected traits it becomes a form of discrimination, and that’s where legal protections apply. Federal and state laws exist not just to promise fairness, but to enforce equal access to opportunity.
We often hear from employees who feel invisible despite working harder and performing better than those being favored. If you’re being overlooked because of your identity, not your ability, you may have the right to challenge that treatment. And we’re here to help you do exactly that.
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5. Denial of Benefits or Promotions
Employers have the right to make business decisions, but those decisions cannot be influenced by your disability, health condition, or any other protected characteristic under the law.
When you meet the qualifications, follow company policies, and perform well, being denied a benefit or promotion without a clear explanation can feel deeply frustrating. But when that denial is based on your disability, medical history, or background, it crosses the line from unfair to unlawful.
This kind of inconsistent treatment may violate federal protections like the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). These laws exist to ensure you receive reasonable accommodations, medical leave, and equal access to career opportunities, regardless of your health or background.
If you’ve been denied a benefit or promotion you’re entitled to, especially when your health or disability is involved, you don’t have to accept that decision quietly. We’re here to help you take the next step with confidence.
6. Wrongful Termination
Being fired is difficult under any circumstance, but when your termination follows something you were legally entitled to do, it’s not just upsetting, it may be unlawful. Wrongful termination occurs when an employer fires you for an illegal reason, such as reporting misconduct, refusing to engage in illegal activity, or exercising your rights under anti-discrimination or leave laws.
Wrongful termination often overlaps with retaliation, especially when the firing comes after a protected action, like filing a complaint, requesting accommodations, or taking medical leave. It can also involve discrimination, breach of contract, or public policy violations, depending on your situation.
Example: You report workplace harassment to HR in good faith. Days later, you’re fired without cause, explanation, or any warning signs in your performance.
If you’ve been fired for standing up for yourself, speaking out against wrongdoing, or simply asking for fair treatment, you may have a legal claim, and at Madia Law, we’re here to help you fight back.
When to Speak Up
Unfair treatment in the workplace is frustrating and can have serious consequences on your career, mental health, and financial stability. Whether you’ve experienced harassment, retaliation, discrimination, or denial of benefits, you don’t have to stay silent. You have rights, and a path forward.
If any of the examples above sound familiar, here are three important steps to take right away:
Document Everything
Write down what happened, when, and who was involved. Save emails, messages, performance reviews, and any communication that supports your experience.
Review Your Company’s Policies
Check your employee handbook or HR guidelines for procedures related to reporting discrimination, requesting leave, or filing internal complaints.
Talk to an Employment Lawyer
An employment lawyer can assess your situation, explain your rights under the law, and guide you on the best course of action, before evidence is lost or deadlines pass.
At Madia Law, we help employees take informed, confident steps toward justice. If you believe your rights have been violated, we’re here to listen and fight for you.
Talk to a Workplace Rights Attorney Today
If you’re facing workplace discrimination, retaliation, harassment, or wrongful termination, you have legal protections, and you don’t have to navigate them alone.
Madia Law LLC represents employees throughout Minnesota in cases involving unlawful treatment at work. Whether you’ve been denied a promotion, fired unfairly, or targeted for speaking up, we will assess your case and help you take the next step. Contact us today for a confidential legal consultation.
Your rights matter, and we’re here to enforce them.
Call 612-349-2729 or complete a Case Evaluation form
