Disparate treatment in wrongful termination refers to...

Disparate treatment in the context of wrongful termination specifically pertains to the idea of individuals being treated differently based on certain personal characteristics, such as race, gender, age, or other protected attributes. This legal concept arises in employment law where it is asserted that an employer has made employment decisions (including termination) that discriminate against an employee or group of employees due to these inherent characteristics rather than performance or behavior.

This form of discrimination is contrasted with disparate impact, where the focus is not necessarily on intent but rather on the effects of the policies that might unfairly benefit or disadvantage particular groups. Therefore, recognizing disparate treatment is crucial since it involves deliberate actions that can lead to claims of wrongful termination if an employee can demonstrate that their termination was influenced by bias related to their personal attributes rather than objective work-related factors.