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How to Stop Discrimination

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Discrimination is a negative judgment toward a person's gender, age, religion, race, nationality, sexual preference or height. Discrimination is a huge problem that can be found worldwide inside and outside of the workplace. The United States government passes laws that make discrimination illegal. Employers must follow laws when hiring employees. Even with rules in place, many people still fall victim to discrimination. There are many ways to stop discrimination. Teaching employees and students about discrimination through meetings and classes is one powerful way to eliminate discrimination.

Implement policies that prohibit discrimination in the workplace and school zones. Draft key points that fight discrimination, set them in stone and publicize them to employees and students. Such rules that fight discrimination would include firing, suspending or expelling those that use foul language, discriminatory jokes, name calling and foul body gestures. Publicize the rules in the student and employee handbook, as well as posting flyers. Handbooks displaying the company or school code of conduct should be given to each employee or student upon admittance. Display flyers in popular spots among the work or school zone, such as in hallways, information boards, break rooms and restrooms. Make the work or school zone aware that not only is discrimination wrong, but it will not be tolerated.

Display the consequences if found guilty of discrimination though the policy handbook. Give employees and students a workplace policy guide or the school's code of ethics handbook which shows what might happen if one is found guilty of discrimination. Employees may be suspended without pay or fired from the job. Students may be suspended or expelled from school. Enforce the rules to stop discrimination.

Present meeting lectures and invite keynote speakers to talk about the negative short term and long term effects of discrimination in the workplace or school environment. Set yearly or monthly code of conduct meetings for employees to attend. Yearly meetings may last up to an hour going over various forms of discrimination, while monthly meeting are shorter, only reminding associates or students that discrimination is not tolerated. Hosting long monthly meetings is not feasible, so some companies have "morning monthly huddles" to remind employees the rules of the workplace. Schools can hold keynote speakers that were victims of discrimination. Speakers can share to students why discrimination is wrong and how it can be avoided. Evaluate the progress of stopping discrimination. Check to see if there was a decrease in workplace or school reports of discrimination through the human resources department or dean's office. Hand out surveys after a meeting or lecture to see if there was a positive impact among the employees or students.

Join the battle against discrimination though a variety of organizations that fight discrimination together. Many websites and town organizations can be joined to help fight discrimination. Join the organizations that fit your personality best. For example, if racial discrimination is something you deal with, join peers who have the same problem. Together knowledge can be spread to help fight the problem. These groups host town lectures in the public library or school to teach the negative effects of discrimination. Events are also hosted to show that everyone has the right to live an equal life. For example, disability rights activists host wheel chair rugby, where two teams verse each other on a court to play rugby despite the fact they are handicapped. Gay and lesbian rights activists meet to draft letters to Congress in hopes of creating stricter laws to prevent discrimination against them in the workplace.

Tip

Enforcing discrimination laws will create an ethical workplace from the beginning.
Joining organizations will show lawmakers that more laws should be passed to prevent discrimination. Write letters to your local congressman with suggestions to fight discrimination.

References
Tips
  • Enforcing discrimination laws will create an ethical workplace from the beginning.
  • Joining organizations will show lawmakers that more laws should be passed to prevent discrimination.
  • Write letters to your local congressman with suggestions to fight discrimination.
Writer

Vincent Labbate has been writing online articles since 2010. He contributes to websites such as eHow and Answerbag on topics including hobbies, automobiles and business. Labbate has a Bachelor of Science in marketing from St. John's University.

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