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Racial discrimination in the workplace is surprisingly common

| Dec 20, 2018 | Workplace Discrimination

All workers in the state of Missouri are protected by discrimination laws. This means that they can take legal action if they have been illegally discriminated against in the workplace. Discrimination can take different forms, and the law seeks to protect workers from all occurrences of unfair treatment.

While the most common form of discrimination in the United States workplace involves workplace retaliation, racial discrimination is the second most reported type of discrimination. In 2017, 34 percent of all discrimination complaints were related to race. Racial discrimination is defined as any type of unfair action made against an employee because of their race, perceived race or skin color.

What type of action counts as racial discrimination in the workplace?

First, it is important to note that a person does not need to be formally employed in order to be a victim of racial discrimination in the workplace. For example, if a person is in a job interview and the interviewer makes an inappropriate comment about the job applicant’s race, skin color or religious dress, this can count as workplace discrimination or harassment, and legal action can be taken.

If an employer refuses to hire a person because of their race or because of assumptions made about them based on their race, this is unlawful. In addition, a person cannot be denied a promotion or a raise because of their race.

How can a person successfully report racial discrimination in the workplace?

If you feel uncomfortable because you believe that you have been racially discriminated against at work, it is very important that you understand your rights and that you take the appropriate action. A good place to start is to write down the experience you had from your point of view. Try to write down as many details as you can while the experience is still fresh in your mind.

You can then report the incident to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). While reporting discrimination to the EEOC might not resolve the matter, it is an important step to holding employers accountable. By taking action, you increase the chances that the company will pay for their unacceptable discriminatory behavior. In addition, you may be able to collect damages that occurred as a result of your unfair treatment.

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