At one point or another, most individuals have experienced some form of discrimination. Whether a company has denied you service due to a disability, age, weight, gender or race, you understand the destructiveness of these practices.
Unfortunately, some individuals carry these biases into the workplace. Employment discrimination can be difficult to detect, but there are a few signs that you should watch for if you suspect it is occurring in your workplace.
Harsh, inappropriate or offensive communication
There is a difference between consistent harshness and your coworkers having a bad day and inadvertently taking it out on you. Therefore, look for consistent mistreatment and violation of your workplace rights. Also, do they tell inappropriate or stereotypical jokes and ask these types of questions?
Compare how your supervisors, managers and coworkers’ communication with you and others, but remember that discrimination may be present even if your manager or supervisor speaks with every employee this way.
Little to no diversity
Your company’s personnel should reflect the area in which you live. Therefore, if you live in the city, and see several races represented, your company should reflect this diversity. This is also true for ages, genders and other demographic characteristics.
However, the types of employees in each job can reflect discrimination. For example, the company’s leadership should also be diverse and not exclude those from protected classes or minority groups. Men and women should not only serve in their traditional roles. Therefore, look for diversity in different positions as well as in the company.
To protect yourself from employment discrimination, research the equal employment laws, such as the Civil Rights Act of 964, Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act and Equal Pay Act of 1963. The more informed you become, the greater your defense against discriminatory practices.