Los Angeles Employment Lawyer Blog

People of short stature (or dwarfs) often find themselves victim to discrimination by people both in and out of the workplace. While much is changing about how the world respects and views dwarfs, laws have been enacted to protect the legal rights of those little people in the office. The leading causes of dwarfism are: Achondroplasia, Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenital (“SEDc”), Diastrophic dysplasia, Pseudoachondroplasia, Hypochondroplasia and Osteogenesis Imperfecta and all are recognized by the Americans with Disability Act (“ADA”). The ADA prevents protected categories of people with disabilities from being discriminated against at any point in the employment process, from hiring to firing and everything in between. Many times, little people bear the brunt of the discrimination from the moment they walk into their interview. As nationally recognized law professor Paul Steven Miller experienced personally, “Fresh out of college, packing a sparkling resume, Miller drew the attention of dozens of prestigious law firms. None of them would hire him -- not after the face-to-face interviews. Every one of the firms ruled out the 4-foot-5-inch candidate as soon as they laid eyes on him. One senior partner told Miller that bringing him aboard might scare away clients.”

Unfortunately, even a Harvard educated lawyer had this kind of response in trying to find a job in today’s business world. The discrimination for other jobs in the service industry especially is even worse. But it doesn’t have to be. Besides the revolutionary change in media coverage such as TLC’s “Little People, Big World,” the Federal and California governments have worked to apply these laws to little people to protect their rights and to give them the opportunities that all taller people have. You should be evaluated based on your qualifications, not your height.

If you are a person of short stature, and you have experienced discrimination in the workplace, the law may protect your rights and enable you to compensation for lost wages, emotional distress and even punitive damages. Call the Law Offices of Greenberg and Rudman LLP at 1-800-252-9776 for a free initial consultation regarding your rights and how the law can help.