Racial and religious discrimination are, unfortunately, still very real problems within the workplace. Winning a lawsuit for this type of discrimination can be a lengthy process, which makes it an ideal candidate for lawsuit funding
Recently a Texas jury awarded a Dallas AIDS clinic doctor, Naiel Nassar, $3.6 million for racial and religious discrimination. The plaintiff's team claimed he was retaliated against for refusing to commit fraud in his billing. Nassar further claimed that his employer showed strong evidence of racial and religious discrimination.
The issue began when Nassar, whose salary was paid for by a federal grant was asked by his employer, Beth Levine, to bill an insurer for his work with patients. This would constitute billing fraud, as it would result in receiving pay for work which has already been covered.
This incident was escalated when Levine indicated to Nassar that she held an opinion that Middle Eastern employees were lazy. She even went so far as to discuss his performance with his supervisor, asking if he was working, and whether or not he was billing for services. This was a direct conflict with Nassar's work history, which showed that he saw more patients than his co-workers, and had a larger workload.
Further discrimination claims arose when a Pakistani Muslim was recommended for Nassar's job after he vacated the position. Levine offered a very low salary not in line with the requisite experience, and in the end, decided to hire a Caucasian doctor with less experience. The Caucasian doctor was offered more money for the position.
Levine claimed to be stunned by the accusations, and went on to refute that she had never discriminated, or made disparaging remarks based upon country of origin or religion.
After his work environment made him so uncomfortable he felt he had to leave, Nassar tried to get a job with Parkland Hospital in 2006. Parkland agreed to hire him, and was making preparations for just that, when his former employer claimed that an agreement that guaranteed all Physician services at their facility would prevent this. Nassar's job offer letter was never signed, or sent. Ultimately, Nasser won his case settlement in court.
If you, or someone you know is planning to file a lawsuit for discrimination in the workplace, it's important to be prepared for a lengthy court battle. Much of the jury's decision will rely upon evidence that may or may not be well documented. During the court proceedings, it's possible to take out a litigation funding advance, often called a 'legal cash advance'. This payment can provide income, especially if you are unemployed due to discrimination. It's also important to note that legal funding does not need to be repaid if you do not win your case, and there are legal restrictions that put a cap on what legal funding companies are able to take as a percentage of the settlement.
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