Race Discrimination occurs when a person is treated unfairly because of his or her race. Race discrimination at work is still a significant problem in America. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a federal law that was created to protect employees from being discriminated against on the basis of disability, race, sex, national origin, color, pregnancy, age, and religion. The law is applicable to employers with 15 or more employees and it includes state, federal and local governments.
Many businesses claim to have a no-tolerance policy when it comes to race discrimination, but sadly, there are some employers who are either not aware of; or they choose to ignore the injustices regarding their employees, taking place right under their noses.
An employer who ignores or claims to be unaware of the employees’ rights in Title VII should most definitely be held accountable for the hostile work environment the employee is being subjected to. On the other hand, how can an employee hold the employer accountable for such acts if that individual is not aware of his or her own rights in the circumstances?
There is a slew of misconceptions in regards to discrimination and harassment in the workforce, therefore misconduct often goes without being reported.
If more individuals became aware of their rights and sought action, then the injustices may slowly fade away.
Here Are Ten Facts That May Surprise You About Race Discrimination:
1. Discrimination Laws Are Meant to Protect People and Their Associates:
One may think that the law regarding discrimination was solely put in place to protect individuals of color, various ethnicities, or national origins but that’s not true. You’d be surprised to find out the law also protects those in association with an individual of a distinct race, ethnicity or national origin. For example: an employer, who discriminates against an employee due to that individual having a spouse of a certain race, would be covered under the law as well.
2. Anyone Can Be Guilty of Race Discrimination:
You may or may not know that discrimination is possible even in circumstances when the harasser is of the same race as the victim; therefore, even in cases such as those, you are still protected under the law and entitled to justice.
3. Retaliation is Prohibited Under the Law:
Under the law, an employer cannot take negative action against you because you spoke up about racism in the workplace. Victims of race discrimination are entitled to report the activities without fear of wrongful termination, demotions, or any other retaliation at work.
4. Race Discrimination Includes Decisions Based on Health Issues:
Employers cannot make employment decisions based on presumptions of health issues. Some races are affected by certain medical conditions. These statistics and conditions cannot be used to deny employment, fire, or otherwise make adverse employment decisions based on these medical conditions unless the circumstances are detrimental to the business operations.
5. Perception Is Still Discrimination:
Racism is not based solely on being black or white. Discrimination or harassment based on cultural traits, accents, or characteristics associated with ethnicity, religion, or origin is a form of racism in the workplace.
Furthermore, if anyone thinks you are part of a specific race, national origin, religion, or other protected class and treats you accordingly, you have a discrimination claim. Their assumption does not need to be accurate to be discriminatory.
6. Color Discrimination Is Its Own Category:
Race discrimination indicates that an individual would be treated wrong because he or she has specific characteristics associated with race (such as skin color, facial features, or hair texture).
Color discrimination involves treating someone unfairly due to the color of his or her skin. For instance, a black supervisor can make comments against a lighter-skinned black employee, claiming the person isn’t really black. This action would be a form of color discrimination.
Both forms of discrimination are prohibited under Title VII and state laws.
7. Company Policies Cannot Discriminate:
You may be surprised to know that when it comes to company practices or policies, those rules must be job-related, necessary to the operation of the business and applicable to all employees, regardless of the individual’s color or race.
If, for example, an employer has a “no-beard” employment policy in place, which applies to all workers, it may still be unlawful. It may not be job-related and could mean harming the employment of African-American men. African-American men’s skin may tend to accumulate razor bumps from shaving, making it painful and unrealistic to shave regularly.
8. Segregation at Work Is Still Illegal:
Physically isolating black employees to attempt to segregate them from customers or other employees is a violation of the law. Employers may not keep all minority employees in the same section or job capacity. Title VII does not allow for racially-driven decisions motivated by business concerns. Even when a customer or client requests to work only with white employes, an employer must deny the request or violate` the law.
9. Race Discrimination Laws Also Help Caucasian Employees and Other Races
Race discrimination helps all races. You do not need to be black to be protected from racism in the workplace. If you are the victim of discrimination because of your race, whether you are white, black, Asian, Latino, or any other race, you may claim race discrimination.
10. Employment Discrimination Is An Emotional Topic
Employment law is an arduous topic for most attorneys to bring resolution to, in favor of the plaintiff. The victim may already be overwhelmed with mental distress from having to deal with discrimination in the workplace, therefore that individual does not need to be concerned with how to approach their defense in order to receive justice. Our discrimination attorneys are experienced, willing, and more than competent at handling all facets of employment law. Do not undermine the unfair treatment you have experienced at the hands of your employer. Hire the best employment law attorney for your case to get the job done.
Contact Our Race Discrimination Attorneys for a Free Consultation!
Racism and race discrimination does not belong in the workplace. No one should have to work in a hostile job environment. All individuals who are subjected to this type of treatment deserve justice.
If you or someone you know is the victim of race discrimination in the workplace, the experienced employment discrimination attorneys at the Derek Smith Law Group in New York City, Philadelphia, Miami, Los Angeles, and New Jersey can help. Call us at 800-807-2209 for a free consultation to discuss your possible claim. Our attorneys are available to review your claims and prepare a solid case to recover the damages and justice you deserved.
