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3 common types of workplace discrimination

On Behalf of | Apr 18, 2022 | Workplace Discrimination |

Workplace discrimination can take on many different forms. While it’s illegal in most cases to discriminate against someone in the workplace, it unfortunately still happens all too often. 

In this post, we’ll look at some of the most common types of workplace discrimination. These include:

Racial discrimination

Racial discrimination in the workplace is a significant problem that continues to this day. In most cases, it takes the form of employers treating employees or applicants differently based on their race. This can include hiring and promotion practices, salary and benefits decisions, and other terms and conditions of employment. 

Race discrimination can also occur when an employer creates a hostile work environment based on race. This can happen through the use of racially derogatory language or symbols or by making racially-charged comments or jokes. 

Disability discrimination

Disability discrimination occurs when an employer treats an employee or job applicant less favorably because he or she has a disability. This is prohibited by law. Even the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits employers from discriminating against job applicants and employees with disabilities and ensures that they are given reasonable accommodations to perform their job duties. 

Some common examples of disability discrimination include: refusing to hire an otherwise qualified person with a disability; holding someone with a disability to a higher standard than other employees; or denying an employee with a disability the same benefits and opportunities that are available to other employees.

Gender discrimination

One of the most common forms of discrimination is gender discrimination, which refers to the unequal treatment of employees based on their gender. 

This can manifest in a number of ways, such as paying women less than men for doing the same job, passing over qualified women for promotions, making offensive comments about someone’s gender, or making assumptions about an employee’s competency based on their gender. Gender discrimination can be difficult to identify and prove, but it is important to be vigilant for signs of it in the workplace. 

While laws have been put into place to protect workers from these types of discrimination, they still, unfortunately, happen regularly. If you have been a victim of workplace discrimination, it is important to know your rights and what steps you can take to remedy the situation.

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