Employment discrimination occurs every day, though many employers refuse to admit it. Discrimination can harm employers as well as employees, since decisions based on factors unrelated to merit can result in reduced productivity.
If you think you are a victim of discrimination, it’s understand the steps you can take to address it. If you respond inappropriately (such as engaging in a shouting match with your supervisor or coworker), you could lose your job without solving the problem.
What is employment discrimination?
Employment discrimination is treating employees differently based on:
- Their race or color
- Their sex
- Their age, if they are age 40 or older
- Their disability status
- Their religion
- Their national origin
Examples of treating employees differently include:
- Not hiring or promoting employees based on their race
- Harassing employees at work based on their religion or national origin
- Terminating older workers
How do I report discrimination?
Your first step should be to report it to your employer. Keep copies of any emails or other documentation the discrimination or harassment. Also keep records of your reports to management or human resources and any response you receive.
If reporting discrimination does not resolve the issue, you can file a discrimination claim with your local Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) office. If the EEOC does not resolve your claim, it will give you a Notice of Right to Sue. With this notice, you can sue your employer.
An experienced employment law attorney can advise you every step of the way.
