Although there are a variety of different types of jobs, all workers in California likely have one thing in common — they want to be evaluated, promoted and compensated for the job that they perform rather than for their race or gender. Despite laws in place to protect workers from these and other forms of discrimination, there are still workers who fall victim to illegal acts. For many, litigation may be only option to redress certain workplace violations.
A Major League Baseball umpire has recently taken such action against the commissioner’s office and the league. He claims that his career advancement has been hindered as a result of an incident that happened years ago and involved the chief baseball officer. According to the umpire, Joe Torre — then the manager of the Yankees — described one of the plaintiff’s officiating calls as an attempt to draw attention to himself. Torre has allegedly maintained that attitude since gaining his position in the MLB offices, impacting the his overall attitude toward the umpire as well as his evaluations.
The recently filed lawsuit also contends that MLB did not sufficiently attempt to promote minority umpires. Specifically, the plaintiff — born in Cuba — claims that in the last approximately 17 years, 23 people were promoted to crew chief but none of them were minorities. Additionally, he asserts that the MLB has only assigned one minority umpire to the six World Series since the officer began working for the MLB.
In many instances when a person in California chooses litigation as a result of discrimination or other unlawful treatment, the individual is thinking of his or her own condition but also of other workers who may potentially be experiencing the same treatment. Many people who feel they have been discriminated against feel uncertainty about how to pursue justice. An attorney with experiences with employment law can help them fully understand their options.
Source: espn.com, “Umpire Angel Hernandez sues MLB over discrimination, treatment by Joe Torre“, July 4, 2017
