People should be able to work and earn a living without anyone giving any consideration to the color of the person’s skin or their ancestry. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 covers those matters in Title VII. This title gives very specific guidelines for employers when it comes to racial considerations.
It’s against the law for employers to participate in or allow racial discrimination within the workplace. The law also forbids harassment from occurring at work.
What constitutes racial discrimination and harassment?
Racial discrimination and harassment come in many forms. Some of these are obvious, but others are harder to spot. Making racially charged remarks, jokes or slurs that cause the workplace to become hostile or offensive is only one type. These actions also fall under this umbrella if the underlying cause is race:
- Being denied job opportunities or promotions
- Getting less-than-desirable job assignments
- Receiving lower pay or fewer benefits
- Failing to receive bonuses when comparable employees receive them
Any employee who’s being subjected to racial discrimination or harassment should keep an account of every incident and the steps they take to stop the behavior. Even people who witness these incidents can keep records and file complaints about them.
When can racial discrimination and harassment at work occur?
Some people think these types of incidents can only happen once a person is hired; however, that’s not an accurate thought. Racial discrimination and harassment can occur during the application and interview period. This is possible if an employer overlooks a fully qualified person because of a racial assumption due to their name or any other factor, as well as if they interview a candidate and don’t consider them because of their race.
Taking legal action when these situations occur is possible. Working with someone familiar with these matters is critical so the victim can ensure their rights are being protected.