Facing racial discrimination while in the workplace can be incredibly stressful, especially if you’re unsure of what tools you have available against it. While illegal in all 50 states, racial discrimination is still a serious issue for countless individuals, primarily in private and public companies. Because of the inherent nature of workplace racial discrimination, you may not even be aware that you are expressly suffering from it, making it even more difficult to spot or prosecute.
Examples Of Workplace Racial Discrimination
Despite often being hidden, workplace racial discrimination has telltale signs that one can reasonably deduce if they are paying attention. Just a few of these instances include the following:
- Employer Treatment: An employer directly or indirectly treats their employees differently based solely on their race or color.
- Decision Making: Either an employer, manager, or senior employee makes decisions or distinctions entirely based on their employee’s or subordinate’s race or color.
- Job Segregation: An employee is given a specific job or moved to a specific area solely as a result of their race or color.
- Improper Hiring Strategies: An employer does or does not decide to hire an individual entirely based on their race or color.
How Can I Recognize Workplace Racial Discrimination?
As you can see, spotting workplace racial discrimination can be difficult, especially if you aren’t paying attention to an employer’s trending actions on the whole. In most instances, unless they have made their intentions abundantly clear, many employers and supervising employees can always cite an alternative reason for their actions. This can also be made more difficult when trying to prove discrimination during initial hiring practices or certain decision-making processes.
One of the most effective ways to recognize if an employer or supervisor is liable to engage in workplace racial discrimination is by noting a trend in their actions and behavior. Some examples to note include the following:
- Constant Racially Insensitive Jokes
- Using Racially Disparaging Terms
- A Trend Of Overlooking The Hiring Of A Person Based On Race Or Color
- A Discomfort In Dealing With Clients Based On Race Or Color
What Can I Do About Workplace Racial Discrimination?
If you or someone you know is the victim of racial discrimination in the workplace, know that there are options and avenues available to you. Keep in mind, however, that it can be difficult to file a claim against an employer or supervisor, especially if you do not have a history of recorded information for which to cite.
Below is a step-by-step method for giving yourself the highest chance of seeing justice in these types of situations.
Step #1. Journal All Incidents
A journal is an essential first piece when it comes to dealing with racially discriminatory actions against you. When an incident occurs, be sure to note the name of the person(s) involved, where the event happened, the time and date that it happened, as well as who may have witnessed it at the time.
Step #2. Record All Incident Reports
After journaling the incident, immediately file a report with your immediate supervisor or with human resources. The report doesn’t need to be particularly long or formal, but it does need to be officially noted as a report. You’ll also want to keep your record of these reports, particularly through saved copies of any formal communications sent between you and the other party.
Step #3. Do Not Quit
If you are suffering from workplace discrimination, it is understandable that you may want to quit. Keep in mind, however, that you run the risk of losing any case reported against them as a result. Reports made by workers that have recently quit are incredibly difficult to win, meaning that much of the stress you may have gone through will be for nothing.
If the stress is serious enough that you are considering quitting, consider seeking professional counseling or therapy instead. Not only will this keep you from quitting, but may also improve the chances of your claim’s success.
Step #4. Seek An Employment Rights Attorney
Your last step is to look into legal representation in the form of an employment rights attorney. You’ll want to find a skilled and competent attorney that understands what they’re doing so that you have the highest chance of winning any claim and recouping any lost wages or benefits owed to you.
You must always consider your local environment when looking for legal assistance. If, as an example, you are on the west coast, there are many employment rights attorneys available to you. For a racial discrimination lawyer Los Angeles is a great state to consider looking at, as well as New York and the District of Columbia.