A New York teacher is accusing his supervisor of firing him based on the fact that he is married and has children. Based on this traditional family status, the man told Fox News that the athletic director at his school treated him unfairly. Instead, she gave preference to single, female teachers. He specifically alleges that he received negative treatment after complaining about being forced to coach three, as opposed to his contracted two, sports while single, female teachers who made the same complaints did not receive any scrutiny.

Based on these allegations, the male teacher is filing suit. In the suit, he claims that the director’s actions were a form of discrimination. If these allegations are proved to be true, the director likely violated an array of employment laws.

New York employment law basics: discrimination

New York offers a unique set of protections for employees at three different levels: federal, state and city.

There are a variety of laws available at the federal level to protect against discrimination in the workplace. These laws include the Equal Payment Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act and Americans with Disabilities Act as well as Title VII. In this instance, Title VII may offer protection. This law specifically prohibits discrimination based on sex. Sexual orientation, however, is not a protected class under federal law, so the outcome of the case discussed above may depend on the characterization of the discrimination alleged.

At the state level, protection is granted under the New York State Human Rights Law. In addition to the state level, New York City also offers protection against employment discrimination through the New York City Human Rights Law. According to the government website, the city’s law is “one of the most comprehensive civil rights laws in the nation.” It covers any discriminatory practices that impact employment in any manner based on anything from race and citizenship status to gender and marital status.

What a discrimination suit can mean for an employee

If you believe that you may have been wrongfully terminated based on your race, religion or, like the case above, marital status, the employer may have violated your legal rights. As a result, a suit can be filed against the employer. If discrimination is established, the employer could be required to pay damages such as lost pay.

Those who are considering legal action should contact an experienced New York sexual harassment lawsuit attorney. This legal professional will hear your case and help you develop the best course of action.