Workplace discrimination in Missouri creates an unfair environment for affected employees and creates potential economic repercussions for the employers. In addition to the employer’s litigation cost associated with employment discrimination claims by the protected classes of employees, workplace discrimination has a larger impact on the workplace environment. It is reported specific classifications of employees are impacted the most by workplace discrimination.
The Center for American Progress reports the categorization of employees who incur the greatest amount of workplace discrimination are those employees who are discriminated based on gender identity and sexual orientation. A report from the Gay and Lesbian Task Force indicates that 40 percent of homosexual employees face workplace discrimination.
The same report claims that 90 percent of employees who are transgendered have endured discrimination within their work environment. In addition to the employees who have suffered from transgender discrimination, a reported half of the 90 percent claim their gender identity has negatively impacted their professional stature. Even though these reports are not specific to Missouri statistics, the report results are not exempt from Missouri workplaces.
Missouri is currently debating a state-wide workplace discrimination statute, which means the specific new legislative safeguards against workplace discrimination are pending. The various employee protections against workplace discrimination do not prevent all occurrences of discrimination against employees. The legal protections provide avenues for those who suffered workplace discrimination to seek civil remedies for the harm caused by the employer.
Source: The Huffington Post, “Workplace Discrimination Costs Businesses $64 Billion Every Year,” Harry Bradford, March 23, 2012
