This Is What to Look for If You Think You’re a Victim of Workplace Discrimination

Workplace discrimination ruins the lives of millions of workers every year. The Civil Rights Act and other various state and federal laws are supposed to protect you from discrimination, but that isn’t always enough to stop employers. If you think you’re being discriminated against at work, keep reading to find out for sure.

Discriminatory Behaviors in the Workplace

• Harassment – One of the most common forms of workplace discrimination is harassment. Employers who exhibit discriminatory behavior may try to humiliate you with jokes or comments about your religion, race, gender, etc. Repeated comments and joking could count as discrimination.
• Unfair Treatment – If your employer is treating you unfairly in comparison with other employees, that too could be construed as discrimination. An example may be if an employer allows your Christian coworkers time off to observe a Christian holiday, but does not allow you to take time off during a Muslim holiday.
• Unequal Allocation of Work – Some employers may discriminate against you by assigning you less desirable work. Employers who assign certain jobs only to people from a specific protected class may be guilty of discrimination. For example, only hiring women to be assistants or secretaries may be discrimination.
• No Promotions – Not getting promoted is not enough on its own to prove workplace discrimination. You have to show that you’re not being promoted because your employer is making decisions based on your inclusion in a protected class. Promotions should be given based on an employee’s merit, not on their religion, national origin, gender, skin color, disability, age, race, or sexual orientation.