If you need a Philadelphia workplace discrimination lawyer, Greenberg Gross LLP is a trial-tested litigation firm that fights for employees who have been treated unlawfully on the job.
You showed up every day, did your job well, and trusted that your employer would treat you fairly. But instead of being judged on your performance, you were singled out because of who you are.
Maybe it was comments about your age during a team meeting. Maybe you were passed over for a promotion after announcing your pregnancy. Maybe your request for a disability accommodation was ignored, and then you were quietly pushed out.
Whatever form it took, workplace discrimination leaves you questioning everything, from your financial future to your sense of self-worth. At Greenberg Gross LLP, we are here to listen, and we are here to fight for you.
Our employment attorneys have secured multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements for workers across the country facing unlawful treatment, and we bring that same level of commitment to every Philadelphia discrimination case we handle. Contact us today to discuss your case during a free and confidential consultation.
Start your journey towards justice today by scheduling your free claim consultation
Why Choose a Philadelphia Workplace Discrimination Attorney from Greenberg Gross LLP
When your career and livelihood are on the line, you deserve a legal team with the skill, resources, and courtroom experience to go up against any employer, no matter how large or well-funded.
- Proven results in high-stakes employment cases. Our attorneys have secured a $6.1 million whistleblower retaliation judgment and a $10 million settlement for breach of oral contract, among many other significant outcomes for employees.
- A firm built for trial. Our founders left one of the largest global law firms to build a practice focused on winning at trial.
- Recognized by the legal community. Greenberg Gross has been named one of California's Top Plaintiffs firms by the Daily Journal, and our attorneys have earned recognition from Super Lawyers, ABOTA, and Martindale-Hubbell's AV Preeminent rating.
- A national presence with personalized attention. With offices across multiple states, we bring sophisticated legal representation to Philadelphia workers while providing the focused, one-on-one communication you deserve.
- Your fight is our mission. We opened our doors with a sense of mission, and that drives everything we do. We understand that a discrimination claim is not just a legal matter. It is personal, and we treat it that way.
You do not have to face a powerful employer alone. Call Greenberg Gross LLP at (855) 255-5515 for a free, confidential consultation with a trial-tested Philadelphia employment lawyer who understands what is at stake.
How Philadelphia Workers Are Protected from Workplace Discrimination
Philadelphia employees benefit from one of the strongest layered systems of anti-discrimination protection in the country. Three separate levels of law work together to shield you from unlawful treatment at work: federal law, Pennsylvania state law, and Philadelphia's own city ordinance.
Understanding how these protections overlap is important because each law covers different employers and offers different remedies.
Federal Anti-Discrimination Laws
Some federal statutes that form the foundation of workplace discrimination protection for Philadelphia employees include:
- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employers with 15 or more employees from discriminating based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin.
- The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) adds protections for workers with qualifying disabilities at employers with 15 or more employees.
- The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) covers workers 40 and older at employers with 20 or more employees.
These federal laws set the baseline, but Philadelphia workers have access to broader protections under state and local law.
Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA)
The PHRA extends anti-discrimination protections beyond what federal law provides in several key ways:
- Covers smaller employers. The PHRA applies to employers with just four or more employees, which means many more workers are protected than under federal law alone.
- Broad protected categories. The PHRA prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religious creed, ancestry, age, sex, national origin, and disability.
- Expanded definitions. Recent regulatory updates clarified that "sex" under the PHRA includes gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation, and "race" now explicitly includes traits historically associated with race, such as natural hairstyles and hair texture.
- No caps on compensatory damages. Unlike federal law, the PHRA does not impose a ceiling on the compensatory damages a court can award.
These broader protections make the PHRA a powerful tool for Pennsylvania workers whose employers may fall outside the reach of federal law.
Philadelphia Fair Practices Ordinance (PFPO)
The PFPO provides the broadest layer of workplace discrimination protection available to Philadelphia workers:
- Covers nearly every employer. The PFPO applies to businesses operating in Philadelphia with even a single employee. That is a much wider reach than either federal or state law.
- Additional protected categories. The PFPO goes beyond state and federal law to protect workers from discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, familial status, domestic or sexual violence survivor status, and reproductive health decisions, among others.
- Continually expanding. Philadelphia has a strong track record of strengthening worker protections, making the PFPO one of the most progressive local anti-discrimination ordinances in the nation.
This three-tiered system means that even if one law does not cover your situation, another one might. Having an experienced workplace discrimination attorney who understands how all three levels interact is critical to building the strongest possible claim.
Protected Categories Under the Philadelphia Fair Practices Ordinance
The PFPO prohibits workplace discrimination based on a long list of characteristics, many of which go beyond what federal or state law covers. If you work in Philadelphia, your employer cannot take adverse action against you because of your:
- Race, color, or ethnicity
- Sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity
- Religion or religious practices
- National origin or ancestry
- Age
- Disability or handicap
- Marital or familial status
- Domestic or sexual violence survivor status
- Reproductive health decisions
- Criminal history (under the city's Fair Chance Hiring law)
Philadelphia has continued to expand these protections. In late 2025, the City Council amended the PFPO to add menstruation, perimenopause, and menopause as protected categories, with a requirement for reasonable workplace accommodations set to take effect in January 2027.
Pennsylvania also enacted the CROWN Act in late 2025, which amends the PHRA to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on hairstyles and hair textures associated with race.
These evolving protections reflect Philadelphia's commitment to workplace fairness, but they also create a complex legal landscape. Having an attorney in Philadelphia with experience handling workplace discrimination cases is critical to building the strongest possible claim.
Common Forms of Workplace Discrimination in Philadelphia
Discrimination does not always look like an obvious firing or a hateful comment. Often, it shows up in patterns that build over time, making it harder to recognize and harder to prove without experienced legal counsel.
- Hiring and promotion discrimination.
You may have been passed over for a position or a promotion despite being the most qualified candidate. Sometimes discriminatory intent shows up in who gets interviewed, who gets mentored, and whose contributions are recognized. - Hostile work environment.
Repeated offensive comments, jokes, slurs, or behavior targeting a protected characteristic can create a toxic work environment that interferes with your ability to do your job. A hostile work environment does not require a single extreme incident. A pattern of conduct can be just as unlawful. - Unequal pay and benefits.
Being paid less than coworkers who perform the same work, or being denied benefits available to others, may constitute discrimination when the disparity is tied to a protected characteristic. - Failure to accommodate.
Under both the ADA and the PFPO, employers are required to engage in a good-faith interactive process to provide reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities, pregnancy-related conditions, and religious practices. Ignoring your accommodation request, or retaliating against you for making one, is unlawful. - Retaliation.
State, local, and federal law all prohibit employers from punishing you for reporting discrimination, filing a complaint, or participating in an investigation. Retaliation can include termination, demotion, schedule changes, exclusion from projects, or any other action that would discourage a reasonable person from speaking up.
Whether your experience involves one of these situations or something else entirely, the key question is whether your employer's actions were motivated by a protected characteristic. That is what our Philadelphia workplace discrimination attorneys are trained to uncover.
We can help assess the strength of your case
Where to File a Philadelphia Workplace Discrimination Complaint
One of the more confusing aspects of employment discrimination law in Philadelphia is that you may need to file complaints with multiple agencies, depending on which laws apply to your situation. There are three main agencies that handle discrimination claims for Philadelphia workers.
- The Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations (PCHR) enforces the PFPO. If you are filing a claim under the city ordinance, you generally need to file with PCHR within 180 days of the discriminatory act. Filing with PCHR specifically is important for preserving your PFPO claim. Filing only with the state or federal agency may not be enough.
- The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC) enforces the PHRA. You typically have 180 days from the date of discrimination to file your complaint. The PHRC has a regional office in Philadelphia and handles claims involving employers with four or more employees.
- The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces federal anti-discrimination laws, including Title VII, the ADA, and the ADEA. For most claims, you have 300 days to file a charge with the EEOC when your state has a fair employment practices agency like the PHRC.
Filing deadlines matter. Missing a deadline by even one day can result in losing your right to pursue a claim, regardless of how strong the underlying facts are. Working with an experienced workplace discrimination lawyer early helps protect your rights across all three levels of law.
What Damages Can You Recover in a Philadelphia Discrimination Case
If your employer violated anti-discrimination laws, you may be entitled to several forms of compensation. The specific remedies available depend on which laws apply and the facts of your case.
- Back pay, which covers the wages and benefits you lost as a result of the discrimination, from the date of the adverse action through the resolution of your case.
- Front pay, which compensates you for future lost earnings if reinstatement to your position is not practical or appropriate.
- Compensatory damages for emotional distress, mental anguish, and the personal toll the discrimination has taken on your life. Under the PHRA, there are no caps on compensatory damages.
- Punitive damages, which are designed to punish employers for particularly egregious or willful conduct and to deter similar behavior in the future.
- Attorney's fees and costs, so that the financial burden of pursuing justice does not fall entirely on you.
- Reinstatement or other equitable relief, such as a court order requiring your employer to change its policies or practices.
Every discrimination case is different, and the potential value of your claim depends on factors like the severity of the conduct, the financial impact on your career, and the strength of the available evidence.
Our Philadelphia workplace discrimination attorneys evaluate each case individually to build the strongest path toward full recovery.
FAQs Answered by Our Philadelphia Workplace Discrimination Lawyers
Here are answers to some of the questions Philadelphia workers commonly have about discrimination claims.
Can I sue my employer for discrimination if I still work there?
Yes. You do not need to quit or be fired before pursuing a discrimination claim. In fact, the law protects you from retaliation for reporting discrimination or filing a complaint while still employed. However, it is wise to consult with an attorney before taking action so you understand how to protect your position.
What if my employer has fewer than 15 employees?
Federal anti-discrimination laws like Title VII apply only to employers with 15 or more employees. However, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act covers employers with four or more employees, and the Philadelphia Fair Practices Ordinance covers employers with just one employee. So even if your employer is small, you likely still have legal protections.
How long do I have to file a discrimination complaint in Philadelphia?
The deadlines vary depending on the agency. You generally have 180 days to file with the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations or the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, and 300 days to file a charge with the EEOC.
Because these windows can run concurrently, and some claims require filing with specific agencies, it is important to speak with a lawyer as soon as possible.
What kind of evidence do I need to prove workplace discrimination?
Direct evidence, like a supervisor making a discriminatory comment, is helpful but not required. Circumstantial evidence, such as being treated differently from similarly situated coworkers, a pattern of adverse actions following a complaint, or suspicious timing around a termination, can be equally powerful.
Your workplace discrimination attorney in Philadelphia can help you identify and organize the evidence that supports your claim.
Does it matter if my employer says the decision was for performance reasons?
Employers frequently cite performance issues as the reason for termination or demotion, even when discrimination was the true motivation. If the timing, circumstances, or pattern of treatment suggests that the stated reason is a pretext for discrimination, your claim may still be strong. An experienced attorney knows how to challenge pretextual justifications.
Can I file a discrimination claim if I was an independent contractor?
It depends on the nature of your working relationship. Some workers classified as independent contractors may actually qualify as employees under the law. The analysis considers factors like how much control the employer had over your work, your schedule, and your tools. An attorney can evaluate whether you have a viable claim based on your specific arrangement.
Talk to a Trial-Tested Philadelphia Workplace Discrimination Lawyer
If you are facing discrimination at work in Philadelphia, you do not have to figure this out alone. Greenberg Gross LLP brings the same courtroom skill and determination to employment cases that have earned us recognition as one of the nation's top litigation firms.
Our attorneys have recovered millions for employees subjected to unlawful treatment, including a $6.1 million whistleblower retaliation judgment and a $10 million contract settlement.
We understand what is at stake for you, your income, your career, and your sense of fairness. We are ready to listen and to fight for the outcome you deserve. Call (855) 255-5515 today for a free, confidential consultation with a Greenberg Gross employment attorney. Your workplace rights matter, and so do you.