We pride ourselves in being a nation that provides equal opportunity for all. We are a melting point of different ethnicities, and many individuals come to America in order to provide a better life for their families. Workplace discrimination is a thorny issue that never gets talked about as much as it should, and many individuals like to sweep certain irreprehensible actions under the rug because they fear retaliation and job loss which can negatively impact all aspects of their life in this post ’08 economy.
The Civil Rights Act solidifies protection of all individuals from discrimination based off their gender, race, orientation, religious affiliation, physical condition, language, age, pregnancy and country of origin. This is something that our forefathers saw important to include in our constitution given the fact that America is essentially a land of immigrants.
Here are some of the things that can be done to prevent workplace discrimination:
- Put up clear notices around the office warning individuals of the consequences of discrimination as well as the importance of judging everyone as unique human beings.
- Keep records of all employees and make it known to them that their usefulness in the company depends on their behavior as well as work output, and that any work dismissal will be purely based off this and not other aspects.
Workplace discrimination can take on many forms and involve the following consequences:
- Showing favoritism of one employee over the other
- Firing an employee due to their race, religion, pregnancy or beliefs
- Denying an employee of a promotion
- Giving one employee more work than others
- Employee demotion
State and federal employment laws make it possible for you to recover compensation from your employer or fellow worker if you faced employment discrimination. You can recover back pay, be reinstated at your former position, be compensated for a lost promotion, and have your attorney’s fees taken care of.
Need more information? Call our workers’ compensation attorney Michael McCready today on (773) 673-9861 for your free and confidential consultation.