Racial discrimination is the unpleasant action or attitude, whether consciously or subconsciously manifested, that undermines an individual based on their heritage or because of their race. Racial discrimination happens as an individual or as a whole group or an institution.

Racial discrimination is not something minor because it accounts for a large number of the complaints received by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, a group that handles cases regarding inequality in the workplace.

How Does It Appear At Work?

Racial or ethnic discrimination in the workplace has many facets. Some of these facets can be obvious. Since racial discrimination is sometimes subtle, one of the most common aspects of it is that it can take place undetected.

Racial Discrimination in Workplace is Common

Unfortunately, racial discrimination in the workplace still exists. In 2002, a study conducted by Rutgers University showed that it is widespread for discrimination in the workplace to take place.

28% of African Americans have gone through discrimination in their workplaces. It is a lot when compared to 6% of whites.

Discrimination lawyers say that among all forms of discrimination, workplace discrimination is the most dangerous. This is because of the emotional toll it takes on the discriminated employees.

It is much more difficult to turn your back on racial discrimination when it happens in your workplace.

The Challenge of Coming Forward

While you may know how you are being discriminated, proving it may be difficult. An employer would never admit racial or ethnic discrimination.

When it is so difficult to prove it, this will add to your isolation, frustration, withdrawal, self-doubt, and lack of confidence. The stress accumulated at work can then spill over other aspects of your life.

People naturally want to appear strong, so they are often hesitant discussing these issues with others. One viable solution is to talk to a discrimination lawyer.

He or she will not only be able to determine if you have a legal claim against your employer but also to help you cope with the emotional stress resulted from the discrimination at your workplace.

They may advise you to join some supporting groups and visit some professional organizations that deal with such kind of problems.

They may also recommend you a therapist or a job coach.

Employees’ Rights in Workplace

There are certain basic rights in the workplace. Each employee should benefit from these rights. One of these basic rights is freedom from discrimination.

This right takes effect even before you get hired. You also have certain rights as a job applicant and candidate. Aside from race, you have the right to be free from the discrimination of sex, ethnicity, sex, age, religion and national origin.

If you feel that you have been discriminated in your workplace, arrange a consultation with the local discrimination lawyers.

You should be free from workplace discrimination no matter what is your age, sex, nationality or religion. This is why you have some basic rights against discrimination.

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There different kinds of people in the workplace. You will realize that different people belong to different races, tribes, religions, cultures and so on. This is the reason why there is a lot of diversity in the workplace. However, in some workplaces, you might encounter racial discrimination in the workplace. Racism  at the workplace can be observed when the company’s behavior is altered based on the race or ethnicity. It is therefore experienced or witnessed by employees in different forms such as harassment, indirect discrimination or victimization. Most employees tend to experience racial discrimination at work at one time or another.

You can easily identify racial discrimination at work. The following are some factors that show the existence of racial discrimination at work:

1. Stereotyping.

Stereotyping is detrimental because it normally portrays controversial generalizations and can even attribute to all staff members of the company. Individuals should be keen on the language used, topics upheld by other employees and so on. It is also important that you check whether the management or your fellow employees are making derogatory remarks about specific elements of an individual’s culture and customs.

2. Hostility

You will realize that hostility can be experienced through verbal critics. For example, a black-American woman can be criticized for being aggressive and so on. If you notice such hostility, there is an element of racial discrimination at your workplace. You will realize that persons experiencing racial discrimination at work tend to have difficulties in socializing with other members of the firm.

There are different ways that can help in mitigating racial discrimination at the workplace. Some of these ways include:

1. Write an anti-discrimination policy that specifically addresses racism.

If you notice racism in your workplace, it is advisable to come up with an anti-discrimination policy that addresses the issue of racism. It should include the consequences for acts of racial discrimination and so on.

2. Consider hiring employees from all races.

This will go a long way in creating diversity. It is also advisable to inform your candidates before hiring them of your policy against racism and discrimination in any form.

3. Ensure that you promote employees on the basis of merit.

It is important that employees get promotions on merit basis. This will make them feel more valued.

4. Train employees on how to avoid racial discrimination.

You should conduct this training at least once a year. This will go a long way in mitigating the problem of racial discrimination in the workplace.

Those are some of the ways that can help you deal with racial discrimination at the workplace.

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The UELG (United Employees Law Group) is a California based employment law firm that is devoted to helping employees who have been subject to discrimination in the workplace. The organization provides assistance to employees through class action in recovering damages and addressing unfair treatment by employers (wrongful termination, harassment, etc.).
Over the years, UELG has incessantly grown in popularity as many of their clients come through referrals from other satisfied clients. They are reported to have handled more than 1500 employment cases, with their clients having been awarded about $250 million dollars.
UELG justly is an authority on California labor law and other California employment law issues. The organization is ever ready to go the extra mile to provide employees with the right resources, so that they may find the help they need. As an employee, you can seek their support if you have a claim under California’s or Federal Discrimination laws. Let’s have a look at cases that are protected under the workplace discrimination laws.
DISCRIMINATION BY REASON OF DISABILITY-
This includes discrimination in hiring, termination, pay rate and raises, promotions, fringe benefits, job assignment, layoffs and training requirements. Federal and state labor laws prohibit any type of harassment of disabled persons (defined under the ADA and the Rehabilitations Act.) in the workplace. This can include undue teasing and offensive comments that are persistent enough to create an unfriendly environment.
DISCRIMINATION BY REASON OF AGE-
This can be a complicated area, so make sure you can prove that the discrimination was done based on age and not just to save money. It is clear prejudice to hire people under a specific age on the pretext of “old people being slower”.
RACIAL DISCRIMINATION-
This kind of unequal treatment can have numerous features. You could be ignored for a less qualified individual of a particular race or consigned to specific employments taking into account your race. This sort of stereotyping IS DISCRIMINATION! Keeping in mind the end goal to have a case for race separation you should demonstrate the valid proofs. In any case, evidence is key.
SEXUAL DISCRIMINATION-
These cases might be brought under the two unique categories. A disparate treatment case includes an association’s arrangement which treats comparatively arranged workers in an unexpected way, in light of their sex or sexual introduction. In disparate impact cases, an individual must demonstrate that the association’s approach, has an unbalanced antagonistic effect on persons of one’s own sex or sexual introduction.

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Racial harassment is simply a kind of behavior that occurs when an individual or a group uses discriminatory remarks or practices in a repetitive manner. Basically, the remarks or practices are supposed to discriminate a person basing on his/her color, culture, religion, language or decent so that the behavior can be considered racial harassment.

Some of the Examples of Racial Harassment Include:

• Showing a co-worker comic strips, images or pictures which are racially degrading.
• Trying to stop or hinder a person from being promoted simply because he or she belongs to a particular culture or religion.
• Making jokes, humiliating comments, racially oriented remarks or insinuations to a person or co-worker.

What are Some of the Consequences Associated with Racial Harassment?

1. How it Affects the Victim

An individual who turns out to be a victim of racial harassment will most likely feel hurt, humiliated and outraged. He/she will feel rejected in the long run and often fail to carry out his or her daily chores in a professional manner. This is simply because there are invisible barriers trying to hinder his or her performance.

2. How the Witnesses Inside the Workplace are Affected

Racial harassment can be rampant, and it can end up deteriorating the work environment as a whole. Generally, the colleagues of the victim of racial harassment may end up feeling uneasy and eventually lose interest in certain tasks they are entitled to handle in the organization.

When this form of discrimination is caused by a group of people that intend to make life unbearable to a particular person, racial harassment can lead to confrontation, hate, or even physical violence.

3. How Does It Impact the Organization?

If the organization fails to handle harassment cases in due time, it might end up suffering losses of employees as people may end up resigning or losing interest in their jobs. It may make the organization incur huge losses if not corrected immediately.

What are Some of the Measures to Put into Action to Stop Racial Harassment in an Organization?

• Written or oral reprimand or warning
• Reassignment or transfer
• Demotion
• Reduction of wages
• Discharge
• Suspension

What are Legal Consequences of Racial Discrimination?

Prosecution processes and fines are applied when workplace discrimination occurs. Normally, this may happen when discrimination fails to be addressed properly by the company officials. When an employer is found guilty of causing discriminatory remarks, he/she may be required to pay fines or even face a jail term.

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