Discrimination in the Workplace
Despite the numerous anti-discrimination laws, discrimination continues to happen in many corners of America. One such corner can be the workplace.
Discrimination in the workplace takes many forms – for example, discrimination based on race, nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, and religion. Racial, national, ethnic, sexual, gender, and religious discrimination in the workplace is when employers refuse to hire potential employees; harshly discipline employees; refuse to train employees; refuse to promote employees; pay employees lower wages; demote employees; and/or harass employees on said basis. It is also when employers have hiring requirements that automatically dismiss women and/or minorities. However, sometimes, such hiring requirements are legal as long as they are necessary in the particular jobs to which they apply. For instance, firefighters are required to be able to physically carry victims. Moreover, gender-based discrimination in the workplace also can cover women workers who are discriminated against simply because they are, were, or may be pregnant.
Other forms of workplace discrimination include equal pay discrimination, age discrimination, and disability discrimination. Equal pay discrimination is when employers refuse to pay men and women the same amount of money, even though they do the same tasks. Age discrimination is when employers fire employees who are older than forty years old; force them to retire; replace them with younger employees; and/or refuse to hire potential employees who are older than forty. Disability discrimination in the workplace is when employers refuse to hire individuals with disabilities; refuse to promote them; refuse to give them an increased wage or salary; or fire them without reason.
If you are discriminated against on the job or in seeking a job because of your race, nationality, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or disability, know this: You have rights and legal remedies as dictated by the Civil Rights, Equal Pay, Age Discrimination in Employment, Americans with Disabilities, Rehabilitation, and Immigration Reform Control Acts and other federal and state laws. If you have questions about America’s anti-discrimination laws and policies, talk to a lawyer. For more information and to have questions answered, contact Nashville Attorney Perry A. Craft.
Perry A. Craft has dedicated his life to helping people in need. He has tried, settled, or resolved numerous civil and criminal cases in State and Federal courts, and has represented teachers and administrators before school boards, administrative judges, and the state Board of Education. Learn more about Attorney Craft.