Employment Discrimination Lawyer in Portsmouth, NH
Serving Portsmouth, Exeter, Dover, Newmarket & the NH Seacoast
Workplace discrimination on the NH Seacoast is more common than people report — and the filing deadline for doing something about it is shorter than most people realize. New Hampshire’s Law Against Discrimination (RSA 354-A) requires that complaints be filed with the NH Commission for Human Rights within 180 days of the discriminatory act. That’s 120 days shorter than Massachusetts’ MCAD deadline and significantly shorter than the 300-day window available for some federal EEOC claims. If you were passed over for promotion because of your age, pushed out after disclosing a disability, subjected to a hostile work environment based on your race or national origin, or fired after raising a discrimination complaint, the deadline clock started the day it happened. Whitney Law Group evaluates discrimination claims for Portsmouth-area clients quickly and candidly — what happened, whether it meets the legal standard, and what path to resolution makes the most sense. Call immediately.
Why Portsmouth Employees Choose Whitney Law Group for Discrimination Claims
Mark Whitney’s decades of management-side experience give discrimination claimants an advantage that’s rare in the employee-side employment bar: he knows exactly how employers and their counsel evaluate discrimination complaints, what documentation they will build, and what arguments they will make. He has assessed discrimination risk for major employers and advised on response strategies in hundreds of situations. That knowledge now informs how Whitney Law Group builds claimants’ cases.
Whitney Law Group handles discrimination matters under both New Hampshire and Massachusetts law. For Seacoast employees of Massachusetts-based employers, Massachusetts Chapter 151B may apply alongside or instead of RSA 354-A — and it offers broader coverage in some respects. The firm evaluates jurisdiction questions at the outset of every discrimination engagement and files in the agency and court that gives the client the strongest position. AV Preeminent rated. 2025 Massachusetts Super Lawyer. Located at 155 Fleet Street, Portsmouth.
What Employment Discrimination Representation Includes in Portsmouth, NH
Whitney Law Group handles the full range of workplace discrimination claims for Seacoast employees:
• Age discrimination (ADEA and RSA 354-A) — for employees 40 and older; includes termination, demotion, failure to hire or promote, and forced retirement
• Disability discrimination (ADA and RSA 354-A) — including failure to provide reasonable accommodation, regarded-as disability claims, and FMLA interference
• Sex and pregnancy discrimination (Title VII, NH RSA 354-A, and federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act) — including pay inequality, pregnancy-related adverse actions, and lactation accommodation failures
• Race and national origin discrimination — hostile work environment, disparate treatment, and discriminatory discipline or termination
• Sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination — fully protected under RSA 354-A and federal law following Bostock v. Clayton County
• Religious discrimination — failure to accommodate sincerely held religious beliefs and belief-based harassment
• NHCHR and EEOC charge preparation and filing — within the applicable 180-day NH deadline or applicable federal deadline
• Litigation in Rockingham County Superior Court and the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire
Client Reviews — Employment Discrimination, Portsmouth NH
FAQ — Employment Discrimination in Portsmouth, NH
Q: What is the NHCHR and do I have to file there before going to court in New Hampshire?
The NH Commission for Human Rights (NHCHR) is the state agency that investigates workplace discrimination complaints under RSA 354-A. In New Hampshire, you must file a complaint with the NHCHR (or the EEOC) before bringing a discrimination lawsuit in state court — this is called exhausting administrative remedies. The 180-day filing deadline is measured from the date of the discriminatory act, not the date of your termination (though termination often is the discriminatory act). After filing, you can request a release of jurisdiction and proceed to court, or allow the NHCHR to investigate. Whitney Law Group advises clients on whether NHCHR investigation or court is the better path given their specific facts.
Q: My employer in Portsmouth is headquartered in Massachusetts. Does NH or MA discrimination law apply?
Both may apply, and the answer matters significantly. New Hampshire RSA 354-A and Massachusetts Chapter 151B both prohibit the same core categories of discrimination but differ in important respects — available damages, coverage thresholds (number of employees), and procedural requirements. Massachusetts Chapter 151B has historically been interpreted more broadly by courts and provides for emotional distress damages, attorneys’ fees, and in some cases punitive damages. For employees of Massachusetts-headquartered companies working in NH, there may be a strategic choice between filing with the NHCHR under NH law, the EEOC under federal law, or the MCAD under Massachusetts law. Whitney Law Group evaluates which forum gives you the strongest position before any filing is made.
Q: I complained about harassment at my Seacoast workplace and was fired two weeks later. Is that retaliation?
Very likely yes, and the retaliation claim may be your strongest claim — potentially stronger than the underlying harassment complaint. Retaliation for opposing discriminatory practices or participating in a discrimination investigation is independently unlawful under RSA 354-A and federal law. The temporal proximity between your complaint and the termination (two weeks) is powerful circumstantial evidence of retaliatory intent. Courts in New Hampshire recognize that close timing, standing alone, can be sufficient to create an inference of retaliation. The same 180-day NHCHR filing deadline applies to retaliation claims. Call Whitney Law Group immediately.
Schedule a consulation in Portsmouth, NH
Don’t navigate workplace disputes alone. Contact Whitney Law Group’s Portsmouth employment lawyers for a confidential consultation about your employment discrimination rights, options, and next steps.