Discrimination and the Workplace

It doesn't matter whether you are an employee or an employer. You need to know what discrimination in the workplace means. If you have employees, you need to make sure that your employees are being treated fairly.

If you are an employee, you need to make sure that you are being treated the way that you deserve to be. You may not be, and you might find yourself trying to decide if you need to speak up about it. However, in order to do that, you need to know exactly what you are looking for. You could find yourself getting discriminated over many things.

These include:

• Race
• Age
• Sex
• Sexual Preference
• Marital Status. You may find yourself discriminated against for being single, engaged, or even married.
• Family Status. You can also be discriminated against due to your family. While most people think this means that you could get treated unfairly due to your pregnancy, you may also find yourself answering questions about whether or not you have a family or how you made one.
• National Origin
• Disability

What does discrimination look like in the workplace?

Though most people think that discrimination is easy to notice, the truth is that it isn't always that way. In fact, many people are good at hiding the way that they feel, so it is important to know what you should be looking for.

Not getting a job, even though you know that you are qualified for it. Competition can make it hard to get a job these days. However, there are times when a less-qualified person gets the job over someone who would be perfect for it.

There are times when a pregnant woman may not get a job that would be great for them, simply because they are having a baby. A white person may get the job over a highly-qualified person of color. Some companies don't hire mothers because they don't feel like they can be dedicated enough to the job. All of these are considered discrimination and should be reported.

Not being paid fairly. Fair pay is in the news lately because men often get paid more than the women who are doing the same job. Many people are fighting this discrimination.

That being said, people who have more experience should get paid more than those who don't. Older employees should be entitled to more pay than those who are just starting out. This is not discrimination.

Getting talked about behind your back (and in front of you). Unfortunately, many companies are filled with people who love to gossip and talk about their co-workers. However, these comments can be considered discrimination.

Jokes should never be made about employees. If you hear jokes about certain employees (or their age, race, etc.), this should be stopped. It is also illegal to ask women about when they are planning on starting their family.

Getting passed over for a promotion. Discrimination can be a missed promotion. Some companies may promote more men than women. Many women also feel overlooked if they are mothers. They often lose promotions because of everything that they do at home.

Losing your job for no reason (or a bad one). If you feel like you lost your job for no reason, you may be looking at discrimination. This doesn't mean that you can't be fired for making some serious mistakes. However, if you feel like you lost your job after you announced your pregnancy, you may want to look into it farther.

Discrimination has no place in the workplace. You deserve to feel safe and appreciated at work. Nobody should have to listen to others talk about them or treat them unfairly, just because of their age, sex, or the color of their skin. They also shouldn't worry about losing their job, just because they decided to start their family! If you think that you aren't being treated well, it may be time to consult with a lawyer.