Types of Workplace Discrimination

Types of Workplace DiscriminationTypes of Workplace DiscriminationWhat is workplace discrimination, and what constitutes discrimination against employees or job applicants? Employment discrimination happens when an employee or job applicantis treated unfavorably because of his or her race, skin color, national origin, gender, disability, religion, or age. It is illegal to discriminate in any facet of employment, so workplace discrimination extends beyond hiring and firing to discrimination that can happen to someone who is currently employed. What Is Employment Discrimination? It is illegal to discriminate based on race, religion, gender, or national original when hiring or in the workplace. Federal contractors and subcontractors must take affirmative action to guarantee equal employment opportunity without regard to these factors. Executive Order 11246 is enforced by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). In addition, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 196 4 makes it unlawful to discriminate in hiring, discharge, promotion, referral, and other facets of employment, on the grund of color, race, religion, sex, or national origin. This is enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Discrimination vs. Harassment Harassment is a form of discrimination. As with discrimination, there are different types of harassment, including unwelcome behavior by a co-worker, manager, client, or anyone else in the workplace, that is based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), nationality, age (40 or older), disability, or genetic information. Different Types of Employment Discrimination Workplace discrimination occurs when an individual is adversely discriminated against due to any number of factors. In addition to the reasons listed above, employees and job applicants can also be discriminated against because of disabilities, genetic information, pregnancy, or because of their relationship to another person. Rev iew this list of the different types of employment discrimination, examples of workplace discrimination,and tips for handling workplace discrimination issues. AgeGenderRaceEthnicitySkin ColorNational OriginMental or Physical DisabilityGenetic InformationRelationship to someone who may be discriminated againstPregnancy or Parenthood Examples of Employment Discrimination Employment discrimination could occur in any number of situations, including Stating or suggesting preferred candidates in a job advertisementExcluding potential employees during recruitmentDenying certain employees compensation or benefitsPaying equally-qualified employees in the saatkorn position different salariesDiscriminating when assigning disability leave,maternity leave, or retirement optionsDenying or disrupting the use of company facilitiesDiscrimination when issuing promotions or lay-offs Discrimination Legislation and Issues Age DiscriminationAge discrimination is a practice specifically protected by law. With a few rare exceptions, companies are forbidden from specifying an age preference in job advertisements. Employees must receive the same benefits regardless of age, the only exception being when the cost of providing supplemented benefits to young workers is the same as providing reduced benefits to older workers. Also, age discrimination in apprenticeship programs or internship opportunities is illegal. Religious DiscriminationIt is illegal for employers to discriminate based on an individuals religious customs. Businesses are required to reasonably accommodate an employees religious beliefs, as long as doing so doesnt have excessive negative consequences for the employer. Gender DiscriminationWhen paying a salary to men and women of the same qualifications, responsibility, skill level, and position, employers are forbidden to discriminate on the basis of gender. Also, businesses are forbidden from lowering one genders salary in order to equalize pay between men and wom en. Pregnancy-Based DiscriminationAdditionally, pregnancy-based discrimination is illegal. Employers are required to handle pregnancy in the same way that they would handle a temporary illness or other non-permanent condition that would necessitate special consideration. Job seekers have the same rights as employees, and both are protected by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) passed in 1978. Hostile Work EnvironmentAhostile work environment is created when harassment or discriminationinterferes with an employees work performance or creates a difficult or offensive work environment for an employee or group of employees. Unlawful Discrimination and Harassment Its important to note that discriminatory practices can occur in any aspect of employment. It is illegal for an employer to make assumptions based on race, gender, or age-related stereotypes, and its also unlawful for an employer to assume that an employee may be incapable because he or she is disabled. Additionally, com panies are prohibited from withholding employment opportunities from an employee because of his or her relationship with someone of a certain race, religion, or ethnicity. Unlawful discrimination also includes harassment based on legally protected personal traits, including (but not limited to) race, gender, age, and religion. Employment Discrimination Complaints Under United States laws, companies are prohibited to subject employees to unfair treatment or blatant discrimination based on these legally protected characteristics. Also, it is illegal for an employer to retaliate against a person who has filed a complaint about discrimination or participated in an investigation. While not all unfavorable treatment constitutes unlawful discrimination, any employee who believes that he or she has experienced workplace discrimination can file a complaint with the EEOC (The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission). Distribution of EEOC Complaints The EEOC reported the following brea kdown regarding the types of complaints for discrimination that were fielded by the agency in 2017 Retaliation 41,097 (48.8 percent of all charges filed)Race 28,528 (33.9 percent)Disability 26,838 (31.9 percent)Sex 25,605 (30.4 percent)Age 18,376 (21.8 percent)National Origin 8,299 (9.8 percent)Religion 3,436 (4.1 percent)Color 3,240 (3.8 percent)Equal Pay Act 996 (1.2 percent)Genetic Information 206 (.2 percent)