APABA-DC Employment Discrimination Law event

APABA’s Practicing Attorney Resource Committee held its event on employment discrimination law on February 9, 2006 at the law firm of King & Spalding. Speakers included Stuart J. Ishimaru, Commissioner of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; Dennis Chong, Esq., Associate, Michael J. Hoare, P.C.; and John C. Truong, Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The Honorable Brian G. Kim moderated the panel.

Commissioner Ishimaru explained that a recent survey sponsored by the EEOC revealed that Asian Americans constituted the largest percentage of individuals surveyed who believed that they had experienced race discrimination in the workplace. However, Commissioner Ishimaru noted that Asian Americans, as a group, are least likely to file formal complaints regarding discrimination. He stated that language is one of the factors that contribute to the low number of employment discrimination complaints filed by Asian Americans because segments of the community are recent immigrants and do not have the language capacity to file such complaints. Commissioner Ishimaru explained that community organizations have served, and must continue to serve, as intermediaries between the Asian American community and the employment discrimination complaint process that is available to aggrieved employees.

Dennis Chong represents plaintiffs in the D.C. metropolitan area who bring employment discrimination claims against their employers. Mr. Chong explained that the local law of the District of Columbia is more favorable to plaintiffs as compared to federal law. In particular, he explained that the D.C. Human Rights Act offers protections against discrimination in the work force based on race, gender, disability, and sexual orientation; whereas Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the federal statute prohibiting employment discrimination, does not protect against discrimination based on sexual orientation.

John Truong, who represents the U.S. government as the defendant in employment discrimination cases, stated that fifty percent of the cases handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Columbia consist of employment discrimination claims against federal agencies. Mr. Truong also indicated that employment discrimination often results from miscommunication between the employer and employee.

Overall, the participants engaged in a lively questions and answer period. Approximately 30 participants attended the event. Thanks go to Khouane Ditthavong for securing facilities, food and refreshments at his firm and to Judge Brian G. Kim for moderating the panel.



Written by Rosy Lor, Practicing Attorney Resource Committee

APABA-DC
Practicing Attorney Resource Program

Employment Discrimination Law

Are you interested in employment discrimination law? Hear from experts on the effect of employment discrimination on the Asian Pacific American community, issues employers face when an employee files a discrimination complaint, opportunities available to Asian Pacific American attorneys in the employment discrimination law field, and the challenges a practitioner faces in this field and resources available to the public.



Speakers:

• Stuart J. Ishimaru, Commissioner of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
• Dennis Chong, Associate, Michael J. Hoare, P.C.
• John C Truong, Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia

Moderator: The Honorable Brian G. Kim, District Court of Maryland,
Montgomery County

Sponsor: APABA-DC’s Practicing Attorney Resource Committee

Co-sponsor: Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association

Location:
King & Spalding
1700 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC
http://www.kslaw.com/contact_us/directions_washington.asp

Closest metro stops: Farragut West - Exit at 17th & 18th Streets, N.W. or Farragut North - Exit at K Street, N.W.

(Refreshments and food will be provided. There is no charge for the event.)

When:
Thursday, February 9, 2006
7:00pm - 9:00pm

Contact: Please RSVP to May C. Lee at par@apaba-dc.org by February 7, 2006.