Just by virtue of working with others, employees may face discrimination in the workplace. Depending on the severity of the discrimination or how it impacts the employee in question, this may lead to the case being taken to court. It is therefore important for employees to know what can be categorized as discrimination so they can recognize it if it happens to them.
There are many different forms that discrimination in the workplace can take. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity commission lays out a number of examples of workplace discrimination which can fall under the category of employment-related litigation. These can include discrimination based on:
- Race
- Religion
- Gender
- Disabilities
- Age
- Pregnancy
- Genetic information
A person’s nationality or country of origin can also be considered a point of discrimination. So can their socioeconomic status. However, the aforementioned list includes the most common causes for discrimination in the workplace.
The Leadership Conference has stated that an employee’s civil rights are protected by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This act makes it illegal for workplace discrimination based on many of the categories in the aforementioned list. This means that anyone who is suffering from discrimination based on sex, religion, race or nationality can take their case to court in order to fight their unfair situation. Further enhancements have since been made to this act, lowering the number of loopholes that employers can find and use.
Dealing with discrimination in the workplace can be dehumanizing, stressful and difficult. Being aware of anti-discrimination laws and individual rights as an employee can help a person fight against any discrimination that they might be facing.
