Employee Discrimination in the Workplace
It is an unfortunate fact that grown adults can indulge in discrimination in the workplace. Discrimination can take a number of different forms, but all have a common result: stress and upset to the point that the victim feels they cannot continue working at the company. There are a number of actions that management can take to prevent discrimination from taking place.
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Definition
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Business Dictionary defines 'discrimination' as "Bias or prejudice resulting in denial of opportunity, or unfair treatment regarding selection, promotion, or transfer...Unequal treatment provided to one or more parties on the basis of a mutual accord or some other logical or illogical reason." Many employees may feel that they are the victim of an unfair decision and, in some cases, the reasons for this decision may be an act of discrimination. It is important to establish firmly whether or not an incident is as a result of discrimination; some business decisions are made purely on the basis of experience and skill.
Types
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Discrimination in the workplace can be in a number of different forms. Employers must not discriminate based on a person's age, gender or disability. Employers must also ensure that the religion of an employee is not at the heart of an unfair decision or action. Under federal law, marital status is a protected designation, meaning that employers cannot discriminate on the basis of whether a member of staff is or is not married.
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Effects
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Discrimination in the workplace contributes to rising unemployment rates, as individuals who are discriminated against have no job opportunities and are unemployed as a result. An individual who is discriminated against will also suffer poor self-esteem, and there is a risk that the person chooses to unleash this anger in a violent manner. An employee who is discriminated in the workplace may suffer from a loss of productivity, especially if he feels that his managers are not helping him in rectifying the situation. The individual may also feel as if he is a failure, and become depressed.
Laws
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There are a number of laws in the United States that are concerned with discrimination in the workplace. The Age Discrimination Act of 1975 prevents employers from discriminating against employees as a result of their age. The Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits employers from firing or discriminating against handicapped workers. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a prospective employee because of the types of discrimination detailed above.
Prevention/Solution
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The employee who is being discriminated against must first speak to the individual or individuals causing the upset to request that he refrains from continuing the discriminatory acts. If this fails, the victim's manager must be informed. If a manager is unwilling to help, then the individual should approach the EEOC, who will investigate the case.
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References
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