Were you discriminated against at work in Reno?
Being treated worse because of who you are, in pay, promotion, discipline, scheduling or termination, may be unlawful. Retaliation after you objected or reported it may be unlawful too.
If your workplace rights were violated, you may be able to pursue compensation for lost pay or emotional harm, and hold your employer accountable.
Not sure whether it was "serious enough"? You can request a review even if you never reported it to HR or are still employed.
What discrimination actually looks like, and what the law calls it.
Discrimination is rarely a single dramatic act. It's the pattern, the 'jokes,' the passed-over promotion, the accommodation that never comes, the sudden performance problem after you spoke up. The legal test is whether a protected trait drove how you were treated.
The 'nicknames' are slurs. Everyone laughs, so I'm supposed to laugh too.
The law calls it → racial or national-origin harassment
- Since I started wearing a hijab, I'm suddenly 'not a culture fit' for client meetings. The law calls it → religious discrimination
- They call me 'grandpa' in standups and gave the project I built to someone half my age. The law calls it → age-based harassment and discrimination (40+)
- I asked for a simple schedule change for my disability. Months later, still nothing, and now I'm 'unreliable.' The law calls it → failure to accommodate a disability
- I reported the slurs to HR. Two weeks later my performance was suddenly a problem. The law calls it → retaliation, illegal even if the original complaint isn't proven, as long as it was made in good faith
- The line lead hands the overtime list to his 'compadres' and my name never fits. The law calls it → national-origin discrimination in assignments
These cover race and national origin, disability (and accommodations), age (40 and over), religion (and accommodations), sex and pregnancy, sexual orientation and gender identity, in any industry. If something here is familiar, you don't have to be sure before you ask.
Illustrative situations, not client accounts.
Workplace discrimination in Reno, by race (including hair texture), national origin, disability, age, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity, is prohibited by Nevada's NRS 613 (employers with 15+) and federal law. File with the Nevada Equal Rights Commission within 300 days, online only. After a right-to-sue notice, 90 days to sue.
What could taking action help you pursue?
Depending on the facts, legal action may help recover financial losses, address emotional harm, restore employment opportunities, or require workplace changes. Available remedies depend on the facts and applicable law; no outcome is guaranteed.
Recover what you lost
Lost pay, benefits, hours, and employment opportunities tied to the unlawful conduct.
Address the harm
Compensation for emotional distress may be available where the law provides for it.
Restore an opportunity
Some cases may involve reinstatement, promotion, corrected records, or another job-related remedy.
Create accountability
A resolution may include policy changes, training, or other corrective workplace action.
You do not need a perfect record, or even to know whether what happened was illegal, before asking what your options are.
Common concerns we hear from employees
I never reported it to HR.
You may still have legal options. Not reporting immediately does not automatically end your rights, although the specific facts can affect a claim.
I don't have screenshots or witnesses.
You do not need a complete evidence file before contacting us. We can help identify texts, emails, schedules, witnesses, and other evidence that may matter.
I still work there.
You can ask questions while still employed. Retaliating against a worker for opposing unlawful conduct or asserting protected rights may itself be unlawful.
It was a customer or client, not a coworker.
In some circumstances, an employer may be responsible for the conduct of supervisors, coworkers, customers, clients, or other third parties.
Erika Smolyar
Associate · Admitted in Nevada
Erika Smolyar leads the firm's Nevada cases and represents employees in workplace harassment, discrimination, and retaliation matters. She is licensed in Nevada and California.
Read Erika's full bio →Real verdicts and recoveries in harassment and discrimination cases.
$15 million
1 plaintiff · Gender pay & promotion discrimination, jury verdict (punitive damages under federal + Oregon law)
Jury verdict, subject to post-trial proceedings. Not a settlement or a collected recovery.
$1.3 million
19 Black construction workers · Racial harassment (hostile work environment)
$1 million
27 Black construction workers · Racial harassment (hostile work environment)
$725,000
14 individuals · Racial harassment (14 individual arbitrations)
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
What happens after you reach out?
You don't need documents, a lawyer-ready story, or even certainty that what happened was illegal.
- 01
Talk with us
A short initial conversation about what happened and when.
- 02
We assess the record
We identify possible claims, deadlines and evidence that may matter.
- 03
If we take the case
We handle the filing strategy, negotiations and litigation.
Deadlines can depend on where and how you file
Nevada and federal claims may follow different filing routes. These are general time limits, not sequential steps.
Generally, to file a discrimination complaint with the Nevada Equal Rights Commission.
NERC, File a Complaint ↗Generally, to file a lawsuit after receiving a Nevada right-to-sue notice.
NERC, File a Complaint ↗Other claims and exceptions may have different or shorter deadlines. Contact counsel promptly so the applicable dates can be reviewed.
Nevada's fair employment practices law (Equal Opportunities for Employment)
NRS 613.310 to 613.4383, inclusive
Primary source, NRS 613.310 to 613.4383, inclusive ↗Share what happened in about two minutes. The firm will review your submission and contact you about possible options and next steps. There is no cost or obligation to request a review.
Deadlines and filing issues for workers in Reno.
- NERC filing is online-only statewide, the Reno office takes accommodation calls, not walk-in complaints, and the 300-day clock keeps running.
- Ninety days from the right-to-sue notice to file in Washoe County, the shortest step in Nevada's sequence.
- The 15-employee floor covers all Nevada discrimination grounds, below it, options narrow fast.
- Charges dual-file with the EEOC, but your filing date is what matters, verify it in writing.
Local filing and enforcement information for Reno workers.
The sources below are public agency actions and filing information, not this firm's cases. They illustrate how claims have been handled and do not predict the outcome of another matter.
- Race / national origin EEOC v. PRC Industries (Reno): $400,000 settlement (October 2023) of a racial harassment and retaliation suit, two Black employees endured months of slurs from supervisors and were fired by text message within hours of reporting. official source ↗
These are public government enforcement actions by the EEOC, not this firm's cases. Agency and state filing routes for Reno follow below.
Where do you file a workplace discrimination claim in Reno?
Nevada Equal Rights Commission
Northern Nevada Office (Reno)1325 Corporate Blvd., Room 115
Reno, NV 89502
(775) 823-6690
Online-only filing, NERC no longer accepts complaints by mail, fax, or in person. Callers needing accommodation may phone either office.
File online →EEOC San Francisco District Office
There is no EEOC office in Reno, Washoe County is covered by the San Francisco District Office. In practice, everyone files online via the EEOC Public Portal or by phone (1-800-669-4000), or with NERC's Reno office via dual-filing.
450 Golden Gate Avenue, 5 WestSan Francisco, CA 94102-3661
1-800-669-4000 EEOC Public Portal →
Second Judicial District Court (Washoe County)
Washoe County Courthouse75 Court Street
Reno, NV 89501
The filing path, step by step
- 1Document the pattern, slurs, accent mockery, accommodation requests, who was promoted. Nevada deadlines are firm.
- 2File with the Nevada Equal Rights Commission online within 300 days (Northern Nevada office, 1325 Corporate Blvd, Reno). Charges dual-file with the EEOC.
- 3Nevada requires the agency process before suing.
- 4After a right-to-sue notice: 90 days, state claims in Washoe County District Court, federal in the District of Nevada.
Employment discrimination information in other Nevada cities
View all Nevada workplace discrimination locations →Asked by Reno workers.
Racial slurs are constant at my Reno distribution warehouse, is that illegal?
Yes. Race harassment violates NRS 613 (employers with 15+) and Title VII, and Nevada also expressly protects hair texture. Reno's logistics corridor is a recognized risk environment. File with the Nevada Equal Rights Commission within 300 days online; a supervisor's slurs can count if severe or pervasive.
I'm mocked for my accent at a Reno plant and skipped for promotion, national-origin discrimination?
It can be. NRS 613 and Title VII bar national-origin discrimination, mocking how you speak, slurs about where you're from, or blanket English-only rules with no business reason. File with NERC within 300 days (online), and note the pattern and who got promoted instead.
Pushed out of my Reno job at 58 for someone much younger, is that age discrimination?
Possibly. The ADEA and NRS 613 protect workers 40 and older (the federal ADEA needs 20+ employees; Nevada law reaches employers with 15+). Being replaced by a far younger hire, or 'overqualified' talk, can be evidence. File with NERC within 300 days; after a right-to-sue notice, 90 days to sue.
My Reno employer refuses to accommodate my disability, what are my options?
NRS 613 and the ADA require employers with 15 or more employees to reasonably accommodate disabilities. Refusing, then disciplining you, can be unlawful. File with the Nevada Equal Rights Commission within 300 days (online only); remedies follow the federal Title VII scheme.