Workplace Discrimination

Workplace employee discrimination can happen to anyone. It is one of the serious offences which happens in a workplace. If you have ever been unjustly sidelined based on your race, class, sex etc then there is a chance that you have been discriminated. Discrimination can happen in any sector of employment. It ranges beyond hiring someone or firing someone.

First of all, discriminating someone in any situation of a workplace is illegal. It falls under Articles 232 and 242 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The article clearly states that a person has a right to work and in a safe environment. Hence, right to work is a basic right, and it is compared with the right to live.

Discrimination vs. Harassment

Discrimination is the parent body while harassment is a part of discrimination. Under discrimination, there are different forms of harassment. It includes the possibility of aggressive behavior by a co-worker, a client, a manager based on race, color, religion, sex, age or disability. Read more to understand the difference between harassment and workplace bullying.

Types of Workplace Discrimination

The employee feels discriminated when someone in the workplace shows them a lack of approval. It can also take the role of bullying when the person has pushed around or manhandled. An employee can also be discriminated in the workplace because of their relationship with a co-worker.

Below is the list of types of employee discrimination:

• Gender
• Age
• Ethnicity
• Race
• National Origin
• Skin Colour
• Genetic Information
• Mental or Physical Disability
• Relationship with a co-worker
• Parenthood or Pregnancy

Discrimination can happen to an employee in any number of situation, which includes (and not limited to):

• Giving preference to a suggested candidate for a job
• Not giving job opportunities to a person because of their race, class etc.
• Specifically, not giving compensations or benefits to certain employees.
• Giving different pay to two different persons on the same post with the same qualification.
• Stopping an employee to use company facilities because of the above-mentioned reasons.
• Stopping the growth or promotion of an employee because of above-mentioned reasons.

Conclusion

Discrimination can happen to anyone at any given point in time. As mentioned earlier, it is illegal for an employer to deny the opportunities to a person based on their cast, sex, or religion. Approaching people in higher posts in the case of discrimination should be the right move. Adequate compensation and counseling should be provided to the employee in case of discrimination.

The person being discriminated goes through a very tough experience. Also, it is the responsibility of the company to stop this kind of behavior and take strict actions and measures against it. After that, if the person is not happy with the decision, they can approach and take the help of the law by filing a legal case.