February 20, 2017
Discrimination in the Workplace: Know the Signs
Discrimination is any workplace action like hiring, firing, demoting, and promoting based on a prejudice of some sort, resulting in the unfair treatment of employees. Some states have laws prohibiting discrimination and may be even stricter than federal laws.
Who is Commonly Discriminated Against?
Race, age, sexual orientation, religion, and gender are among the top characteristics that are discriminated against. Although it is strictly prohibited, it does happen. It does not necessarily mean that a person was blatantly discriminated against. The situation could be something much more insidious.
Discrimination Can Be Difficult to Spot
One of the more difficult pieces of these types of discrimination at work is that they can often go undetected. Unless an employer specifically admits to the offense, who can be sure why they didn’t hire a certain individual or gave someone else a promotion?
Keep an Eye Out For Signs of Discrimination
Sometimes, it can feel like your boss ignores you, yet greets everyone else every morning or asks their opinion on a project. It could be that they don’t realize it’s happening (i.e. they might believe you to be the snobby one or that you don’t want a handshake), but if it goes further it could be discrimination.
- Minimal diversity- Obviously, this could just mean that those who applied had very little diversity amongst themselves. If you notice that those of a different race, gender, etc. have are low ranking positions but should clearly be in a higher role, this is more likely discrimination.
- Promotion pass-over- If you have the skills and you perform better than the person who got the promotion.
- Alienation- Do you feel like your co-workers or employer are consistently excluding you in activities, opportunities to excel or are receiving the worst assignments regularly?
- Bad Reviews- Being given bad reviews over and over even though you work efficiently and skillfully.
If you or someone you know need legal assistance in Kansas or Missouri, contact us today at (816) 875-0470!