What types of monetary damages can I recover for discrimination or harassment?

The most common damages available in discrimination or harassment cases include unpaid wages, which are wages the employee would have received but for the discrimination. Those wages are usually available in cases where discrimination results in economic impact to the employee. For example, if the employee loses their job or is demoted or their salary is decreased. An additional category of damages is compensatory damages, which are intended to compensate the employee for the mental anguish suffered as a result of the discrimination. The next category of damages is punitive damages, which are intended to punish the employer for particularly reprehensible, willful conduct. In some cases, courts will also award attorney’s fees to the prevailing plaintiff.