Workplace Discrimination: How to Spot the Signs
While overt discrimination, such as hate crimes or racial slurs, do sadly occur in the workplace, most types of workplace discrimination are far more subtle. There are certain behaviors your employer, manager, or co-workers may engage in that you may not even realize constitutes workplace discrimination. It is also important to note that discrimination in the workplace does not have to be intentional. So, even if you do not believe anyone in your company would act in such a manner, it is still important to understand the common signs. Below, our Atlanta employment discrimination attorney explains what these are.
Unfair Treatment
One of the most common signs of workplace discrimination is being treated unfairly. If you are held to different standards than other employees, and no one else is treated in the same manner, it may be because you are part of a protected class and are being discriminated against. Unfair treatment can include being held to higher performance standards or being expected to arrive earlier or stay later than other employees.
Derogatory Jokes or Comments
Offensive jokes or comments about your age, sex, religion, race, or any other protected class are a sign of discrimination and should not be tolerated. Remember that these comments do not have to be egregiously offensive to be considered inappropriate. Even if the person making the comments brushes it off as ‘just a joke,’ you should report the behavior, as it does constitute discrimination.
Unequal Pay
Paying someone less than other employees with similar experience or in the same position is a type of discrimination. If you are not sure of why someone would receive more pay, consider if you are in a protected class and if others in that same class are also receiving less pay. Depending on the pay structure of your employer and the type of industry you work in, unequal pay requires greater scrutiny, so it is important to speak to an attorney.
Denied Opportunities
If you are regularly denied training opportunities, promotions, or other employer benefits that are instead given to other workers with similar job performance and qualifications, this can be a sign of discrimination.
Unjustified Changes in Employment Duties
If your employment duties are drastically increased, reduced, or otherwise modified in a manner that seems unnecessary and abrupt, this could also be a sign of workplace discrimination. For example, if you are suddenly required to perform employment duties you were not hired for, such as maintenance, and the assignment seems random, it could be a sign of employment discrimination.
Our Employment Discrimination Attorney in Atlanta Can Help
It is not always easy to determine if unfair or negative treatment at work is discrimination. At The Forsythe Law Firm, LLC, our Atlanta employment discrimination attorney can review the facts of your case, determine if discrimination occurred, advise on the next steps to take, and help you hold your employer accountable. Call us today at 404-476-2717 or contact us online to schedule a consultation and to get the legal advice you need.
Source:
eeoc.gov/statutes/title-vii-civil-rights-act-1964#:~:text=Title VII prohibits employment discrimination,several sections of Title VII.
