Everyone deserves to be treated fairly in their place of work and, indeed, in their day-to-day lives. Sadly, as many residents of Missouri know, all too many people do not receive the respect and fair treatment they deserve. In particular, a large number of employees experience harassment or discrimination at the hands of their employers, colleagues or both. This is unacceptable, yet it is often a difficult problem to tackle.
There are several laws surrounding matters of discrimination, prohibiting singling someone out for various reasons, including the following:
- race or national origin
- gender identity or sexual preference
- age
- religion
- disability
This does not only apply to minorities, as this article on employee rights explains. In fact, there are cases in which majority groups file discrimination claims on the grounds that a minority has been favored over them. This is sometimes termed reverse discrimination. This can often be a controversial matter as efforts to avoid discrimination against one group could lead to another group facing disadvantages in their stead.
Ultimately, discrimination of any kind is unnecessary and should not be tolerated. Ideally, you should be judged on your merit as an employee, not matters that have no bearing on your ability to do your job. If you have experienced mistreatment of any kind in your place of work or you suspect that your rights as an employee have been breached, it is important to stand up to those responsible.
This can be a daunting thing to do alone, but there is support available. An attorney can advise about the best way to handle your situation. He or she may also be able to assist you if you decide to challenge those responsible in court or to make a claim for compensation.
