discrimination at work essay

Discrimination in Workplace

This essay will discuss the various forms of discrimination that can occur in the workplace. It will explore issues such as racial, gender, age, and disability discrimination, discussing their impact on individuals and workplace dynamics. The piece will examine the legal frameworks for addressing workplace discrimination and strategies for creating inclusive and equitable work environments. Also at PapersOwl you can find more free essay examples related to Abuse.

How it works

Discrimination in workplace is when an employee experiences harsh or unfair because of his or her race, skin color, National origin, gender, disability, religion, or age. Discrimination is one of the biggest problems a lot of people face in a workplace, people gets judged based off their appearance and who they are. There are different ways of discrimination that occurs often in a workplace. One way is denying his/her a job cause of their race and gender all employers have a responsibility to treat women and men equal.

Inequality in a workplace comes with low pay, many women and men are paid differently than others. There are numerous cases where companies fail to promote expectant women and men. Discriminatory include bias in hiring, promotion, job assignment, termination, compensation, retaliation and various. There are numerous cases where companies fail to promote expectant women and men Discrimination comes with different types of harassments including unwelcome behavior by co-workers, managers, clients or anyone else in a work place. There are two different types of harassments physical abuse and emotional abuse, physical abuse is sexual assault and violence on body it’s an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment it contains sexual jokes and inappropriate touching. Emotional abuse refers to imposing stress and bullying emotional harassment in the workplace can be defined as hostile verbal and nonverbal behavior emotional abuse at work is about power, an emotional distress caused by a hostile work environment can cause anxiety, depression, and trauma. Age has a lot to do with discrimination many Americans that’s 40+ have been turned down from a job due to their ability to work older age employers are discriminated in the workplace because of appearance and the lack to do their duties of work.

Employment discrimination could occur in any situations including: Stating or suggesting preferred candidates in a job advertisement; excluding potential employees during recruitment; denying certain employees compensation or benefits; paying equally-qualified employees in the same position different salaries; denying or disrupting the use of company facilities and discrimination when issuing promotions or lay-offs. It is important to know that discriminatory practices can occur in any aspects of employment it is illegal for an employer to make assumptions based on race, gender, or age or anything else related to these stereotypes. Also it’s unlawful for an employer to assume that an employee may be incapable because he or she is disabled companies are prohibited from withholding employment opportunities from an employee because of his or her relationship with someone of a certain race, religion, or ethnicity. There are different types of discrimination claims you can peruse discriminated intent /treatment a discriminatory intent, or discriminatory treatment is when an employee is treated worse by an employer because of his or her status as a member of protected category. Disparate Impact, a disparate impact claim is a type of discrimination based on the effect of an employment policy. And Retaliation; retaliation claims when an employer retaliates against an employee who engages in conduct that the law protects like making a complaint about discrimination, or reporting a safety hazard.

Workplace Discrimination can be difficult to spot but it’s not impossible or hard to see the signs Employment discrimination laws prohibit discrimination against certain classes of individuals. The workers that are protected by these laws are known as “protected class” and these protected classes are defined by specific status. Employers cannot make employment decisions based on federal employment discrimination laws, these factors including decisions related to hiring, firing, promotions, work assignments, discipline or any other terms and conditions of employment. Whether it’s racial discrimination, sex discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination or any form of discrimination, unfair treatment is illegal in any workplace environment or where ever you are taking place at. If you are a victim of discrimination in a work place you should report it immediately! And get help because you can be putting your work, career and life in jeopardy.

Cite this page

Discrimination in Workplace. (2021, Jul 03). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/discrimination-in-workplace/

"Discrimination in Workplace." PapersOwl.com , 3 Jul 2021, https://papersowl.com/examples/discrimination-in-workplace/

PapersOwl.com. (2021). Discrimination in Workplace . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/discrimination-in-workplace/ [Accessed: 7 May. 2024]

"Discrimination in Workplace." PapersOwl.com, Jul 03, 2021. Accessed May 7, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/discrimination-in-workplace/

"Discrimination in Workplace," PapersOwl.com , 03-Jul-2021. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/discrimination-in-workplace/. [Accessed: 7-May-2024]

PapersOwl.com. (2021). Discrimination in Workplace . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/discrimination-in-workplace/ [Accessed: 7-May-2024]

Don't let plagiarism ruin your grade

Hire a writer to get a unique paper crafted to your needs.

Our writers will help you fix any mistakes and get an A+!

Please check your inbox.

You can order an original essay written according to your instructions.

Trusted by over 1 million students worldwide

1. Tell Us Your Requirements

2. Pick your perfect writer

3. Get Your Paper and Pay

Hi! I'm Amy, your personal assistant!

Don't know where to start? Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert.

short deadlines

100% Plagiarism-Free

Certified writers

• Call to +1 844 889-9952

Employee Discrimination at Workplace

Introduction.

Workplace discrimination is among the major issues that affect several modern organizations in the US. Today, the US is a highly diversified society due to the influx of people from other countries who come to look for jobs and better opportunities in life. As a result, many organizations in the US have a more diversified workplace environment. Despite the greater diversity at workplaces, workers always tend to associate with others who share their cultural beliefs and practices.

In this regard, minority groups have found themselves alienated from dominant groups as employees define themselves based on their cultural orientations, belief systems, age, ethnicity, religion, nationality, or any other relevant demographical characteristics. In addition, there is an emerging LGBT group as workplaces evolve. This may cause workplace discrimination if organizations fail to address it effectively. Workplace discrimination has negative impacts on employee productivity.

It inhibits teamwork and cooperation when employees are required to work together and address certain issues in an organization. In addition, discrimination at work limits employees’ creativity and innovativeness because it hampers the culture of knowledge sharing. In this regard, organizations should address workplace discrimination effectively to ensure that it does not hinder employees and organizational prosperity. This research will utilize a case study qualitative approach in data collection and analysis in order to find a solution to employee discrimination at the workplace.

Purpose of the study

The purpose of this case study is to explore cases of workplace discrimination, the basis of discrimination, and propose effective ways of stopping the widespread and persistent employment discrimination.

Problem statement

Recent social researches revealed that American society had been affected by the problem of discrimination ever since slavery, and the slave trade was introduced in the country several centuries ago. In addition, several scientific field studies, academic journals, court cases, newspapers, and other reliable sources have documented widespread and continuing workplace discrimination (Huppke, 2013). This situation shows a lack of fairness in workplaces. While fairness at workplaces is critical, many employees continue to experience workplace discrimination. Consequently, their productivity and potentials have declined because discrimination at workplaces hampers outcomes and can be major occupational hazards (Okechukwu, Souza, Davis, & de Castro, 2014).

Literature Review

Roscigno (2007) noted that discrimination intensified after the abolition of slavery and soon after independence. Americans have embraced the culture of tolerance because the world looks for it as a pillar of democracy and just society. As a result, there are remarkable improvements as society aims to be free from any form of discrimination. Nevertheless, discrimination is yet to be eliminated in American society. Roscigno (2007) further stresses that current socio-cultural variations among employees are the major contributing factors to discrimination at workplaces.

While some cases of discrimination are obvious, others may not be directly noticeable to employees, for instance, in cases where an individual is paid less salary compared to others or assigned inhumane tasks. In addition, workplace discrimination may also take soft forms, such as denying an employee a promotion that he or she deserves because of her or his gender, culture, religion, race, or any other demographical factors. Workplace discrimination could also be in the form of alienation of other employees because they do not share common beliefs or cultural practices.

According to Cohn (2009), it is imperative to address discriminatory issues at workplaces in order to avoid their impacts on an organization. Employees can work as a team when an organization addresses any discriminatory challenges it faces. This will allow employees to share new ideas and promote innovation across various fields. When employees work as a team, they are most likely to find solutions easily because of idea-sharing. Workplace discrimination affects employees’ morale, and therefore, it is necessary for organizations to eliminate it and value their employees in order to boost productivity.

Employees who watch others treated unfairly may also perform poorly (Huppke, 2013). A lack of discrimination at workplaces could foster employee unity and help in addressing broader individual or organizational challenges. According to Huppke (2013), employees should come to work safely in the knowledge that they “will be judged solely on their performance” (p. 1). This can be a great source of security for employees who can be able to achieve their full work potential (Huppke, 2013). Therefore, both employees and organizations will benefit from the elimination of workplace discrimination.

Research questions

Specific research questions are important in defining a path that guides data collection in any project. They provide researchers with a guideline on the type of data to be collected. Consequently, researchers avoid the collection of irrelevant data. In qualitative research, open-ended questions are often used to give the respondents the opportunity to express their views freely. The following are some of the research questions that will guide the process of data collection.

• What is your view about discrimination at your current or past workplace?
• What forms of discrimination have you experienced at your current or past work?
• How do you think the victims of discrimination feel when they are within the workplace?
• Do you believe that discrimination against employees has a significant impact on the overall output of the firm?
• What do you believe is the best way of addressing the issue of discrimination in the workplace?

Method of Investigation

Study design.

This research will use case study qualitative method to collect and analyze data. According to a study by Tellis (1997), case study is “an ideal methodology when a holistic, in-depth investigation is needed” (para. 1). Hence, it is an effective methodology for investigating workplace discrimination.

Participants

A case study will be conducted in a single organization to determine issues of workplace discrimination. The researcher recognizes that a case study involves multi-perspective analyses and therefore, several participants will be selected for interviews. Only participants who will be able to provide accurate and alternative explanations will be involved in the study. This strategy would ensure validity of the study because of multiple sources of data.

Data collection

Unstructured questionnaire will be used for data collection. The researcher will use unstructured interviewing, one of the popularly used qualitative research methods. Liamputtong (2009) noted that “Unstructured interviewing involves direct interaction between the researcher and a respondent or group” (p. 67). The researcher will use open-ended questions to gather information from the participants. This strategy allows respondents to answer questions based on their broad views and experiences rather than restricting answers to yes or no.

Given the nature of the study topic, the researcher aims to account for experiences of respondents, who could have personally experienced workplace discrimination. Unstructured questions, therefore, are the most suitable for gathering the required information (Tracy, 2013). Moreover, the researcher recognizes that various respondents may provide different accounts of workplace discrimination. For instance, perpetrators and victims of discrimination may have diverse views on the issue.

Data will also be obtained from archival records and documentation from the organization of the study.

Data analysis

Data analysis will involve cleaning, examining and categorizing obtained evidence to address workplace discrimination (Tellis, 1997). However, Tellis (1997) observed that case study analysis is not well developed. Researchers, therefore, should have a general analytic strategy to manage data that will be analyzed and for what purpose. Nevertheless, identification of themes and explanation-building shall assist the researcher to build explanations for workplace discrimination. In other words, the researcher will be able to provide an explanatory case study of discrimination at the workplace in the chosen organization. Explanation-building could be difficult because of its iterative nature, but researchers must understand such challenges before using it.

To ensure that the analysis maintains high quality standard, the researcher will ensure that all relevant data are used, all opposing views are expressed, analysis focuses on critical aspects of workplace discrimination and the researcher will rely on available knowledge and experiences to enhance outcomes of the study.

Strengths of Qualitative Methods

A number of reasons justified the use case study qualitative methodology.

• Case study will allow participants to respond to questions based on their personal understanding and experiences (Tellis, 1997)
• The method shall ensure that the researcher gather data from multiple sources such as respondents, archival records and documents regarding workplace discrimination
• It would ensure that the researcher understands attitudes of respondents based on interview questions
• Detailed explanations of events and their consequences will be gathered
• It would provide more in-depth accounts of events than other approaches
• The face-to-face interaction during the interview will help in motivating the participants to ask any questions that they may have toward the project. This will increase their chances of participating in the research.

It is because of the factors above that the researcher considered it appropriate to use qualitative methods in this study.

Weaknesses of Qualitative Method

Guven (2008) noted that qualitative research has some weaknesses that could affect its ability to provide the required data for the study. Thus, the researcher should be able to identify these challenges before the study starts.

• The process of collecting data through open-ended questions is time-consuming. For instance, some respondents could provide elaborate responses for questions that require simple answers.
• Data collected could be voluminous as respondents tend to elaborate on their responses without restrictions
• Data analysis process could be complex due to diverse opinions about an issue. In some cases, the researcher may account for all diverse views from respondents independently.
• Critics have argued that it could be difficult to generalize findings from case study analysis

The researcher has recognized potential impacts of these challenges and therefore care will be taken into account to enhance the quality of the study.

Expected Findings

The study findings are expected to discover the causes of workplace discrimination and provide a detailed explanation of its impact on an organization. One major cause of workplace discrimination is the inability of some employees to accept the existence of diversity in workplaces. Stereotyping and feelings of superiority are also responsible for workplace discrimination. When employees believe that they are superior to others, then discriminatory acts would arise and cause the differences.

Many studies have recognized negative impacts of workplace discrimination on both employees and employers and therefore, they agree that fairness at work is good (Huppke, 2013). Failure to control workplace discrimination could result into anarchy within the workplace. Employees will classify themselves along the lines of race, religion, age, gender or any other demographical factors.

It would limit the ability of these employees to integrate into a single unit that is focused on achieving mutual interests within an organization. Employees will tend to focus on their self-interests rather than on the organization. Workplace discrimination could lead to verbal or physical assault and psychological effects as various groups aim to assert their dominant positions on others.

Cases of workplace discrimination have led to attacks on others because of their race, sexuality or religious beliefs. This situation shows how workplace discrimination can make other employees vulnerable and risk their safety. Okechukwu et al. (2014) have noted that workplace discrimination is a contributing factor to occupational health injustice. Failure to address workplace discrimination could lead to detrimental outcomes for an organization because employees will not be able to maximize their potential.

It is expected that the study will provide holistic, in-depth aspects of workplace discrimination and helps in formulating suitable strategies to eliminate it in the focus organization.

Workplace discrimination has continued despite several efforts and laws to curb it in the US. As a result, it has led to negative outcomes for both employees and employers. On this note, it is imperative to conduct a study to evaluate critical aspects of discrimination at workplaces. This case study will highlight some fundamental elements of workplace discrimination, basis of discrimination and propose effective ways of mitigating the widespread and persistent employee discrimination. The researcher believes that the findings would help in addressing effects of workplace discrimination in organizations.

Cohn, S. (2009). Race, Gender, and Discrimination at Work. New York: Westview Press.

Guven, L. M. (2008). The Sage encyclopedia of qualitative research methods. Los Angeles: Sage.

Huppke, R. (2013). What’s more fair than fairness at work? Chicago Tribune . Web.

Liamputtong, P. (2009). Qualitative research methods. South Melbourne, Vic: Oxford University Press.

Okechukwu, C., Souza, K., Davis, K. D., & de Castro, B. (2014). Discrimination, harassment, abuse, and bullying in the workplace: Contribution of workplace injustice to occupational health disparities. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 57 (5), 573–586. Web.

Roscigno, V. J. (2007). The face of discrimination: How race and gender impact work and home lives. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.

Tellis, W. (1997). Application of a Case Study Methodology. The Qualitative Report, 3 (3). Web.

Tracy, S. J. (2013). Qualitative research methods: Collecting evidence, crafting analysis, communicating impact. Malden, MA : Wiley-Blackwell.

Cite this paper

Select style

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

BusinessEssay. (2022, December 9). Employee Discrimination at Workplace. https://business-essay.com/employee-discrimination-at-workplace/

"Employee Discrimination at Workplace." BusinessEssay , 9 Dec. 2022, business-essay.com/employee-discrimination-at-workplace/.

BusinessEssay . (2022) 'Employee Discrimination at Workplace'. 9 December.

BusinessEssay . 2022. "Employee Discrimination at Workplace." December 9, 2022. https://business-essay.com/employee-discrimination-at-workplace/.

1. BusinessEssay . "Employee Discrimination at Workplace." December 9, 2022. https://business-essay.com/employee-discrimination-at-workplace/.

Bibliography

BusinessEssay . "Employee Discrimination at Workplace." December 9, 2022. https://business-essay.com/employee-discrimination-at-workplace/.

• Influence and Persuasion Strategies in Management
• Employee Computer Monitoring: System Analysis
• Managing People. Performance Appraisal Methods
• Lack of Training in Changing Organization Management
• Human Resources Training, Learning and Development
• Team Members at Big Blue
• How Motivation Influences Job Satisfaction
• HRM and Project Management Relationship
• Human Resource Strategies: Google Company Challenges
• Employee Motivation Through Financial Incentives

For Agencies

Let's Talk: (844) 800 - 2211

Remembering Shay Litvak Our Co-Founder and CTO

November 1979 - September 2023

Different Types of Workplace Discrimination + Examples

Deanna deBara

In an ideal world, employees from all different walks of life would feel welcome in the workplace. But that’s not always the case—which is why it’s so important to have conversations around workplace discrimination.

Gaining a better understanding of workplace discrimination is the first step to ensuring it doesn’t happen—whether you’re a small business owner trying to protect your employees, an employee trying to determine whether you’re experiencing discrimination at work, or a job applicant evaluating a job ad for discriminatory language.

So what, exactly, is workplace discrimination? What are the different types of discrimination in the workplace? And what protections are in place to protect job candidates and employees from discrimination?

What Is Workplace Discrimination?

Discrimination is the practice of treating someone differently (and, more specifically, negatively) based on characteristics like their age, gender, or race. 

Workplace discrimination, then, is the practice of discrimination in the workplace—or, in other words, employers acting unfavorably to job candidates and/or employees based on certain characteristics (we’ll cover a full list of those characteristics in a moment).

In the United States, workplace discrimination is illegal—and there are a number of laws in place to protect employees from discrimination at work.

What Are the Different Types of Discrimination in the Workplace?

There are seven main types of discrimination in the workplace, including:

• Age discrimination, which is discriminating against a candidate based on their age
• Race discrimination , which includes discrimination based on race, skin color, ethnicity, or national origin
• Sex discrimination , which includes discrimination based on sex, gender, and/or sexual orientation
• Pregnancy discrimination , which includes discrimination based on pregnancy, childbirth, or any related medical conditions
• Religious discrimination , which is discriminating against a candidate based on their religious beliefs
• Disability discrimination , which is discriminating against a candidate based on a mental and/or physical disability
• Retaliation discrimination , which is discrimination based on discrimination claims (for example, firing an employee because they filed a discrimination complaint about illegal employment practices)

Keep in mind that discrimination can take place at any point during the employment process—including in job ads or postings, throughout the recruitment process, while employed with a company, or during the termination/separation process.

What are the Laws on Workplace Discrimination?

Currently, there are a number of federal laws in place—enforced by the the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)—that protect workers from discrimination in the workplace. These anti-discrimination laws include:

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 makes it illegal to discriminate against another person based on race, religion, color, national origin, genetic information, or sex. An amendment to Title VII, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, makes it illegal to discriminate against people experiencing pregnancy, childbirth, or any related medical conditions. In 2020, the Supreme Court ruled that it was illegal for a company to fire an employee based solely on their sexual orientation—extending protection to LGBTQ+ employees.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990

The Americans with Disabilities Act makes it illegal for employers to discriminate against qualified employees based on disability. Under the ADA, employers must also make reasonable accommodations to create equal opportunities for persons with disabilities.

Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) of 1967

Under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) of 1967, it’s illegal to discriminate against a current or potential employee based on age. 

Equal Pay Act (EPA) of 1963

Under this Equal Pay Act, employers must give male and female employees equal pay for equal work. The law illegalized gender-based wage discrimination—or, in other words, made it illegal for employers to pay men and women different salaries for the same role based on gender alone.

In addition to these federal laws, many states also have additional state laws on the books to protect workers from employment discrimination. For example, the New York State Human Rights Law expands protection based on additional criteria, making it illegal to discriminate based on marital status, familial status, military status, gender identity or gender expression, or whether someone is a victim of domestic violence.

It’s also important to note that, under these discrimination laws, it’s not only illegal to discriminate against someone under a protected class directly; it’s also illegal to discriminate against someone based on their relationship to someone under said protected class. For example, it would be illegal for an employer not to hire a candidate because their child has a disability or their partner is a certain race or has a certain set of religious beliefs.

What Are Some Examples of Workplace Discrimination?

Even if you understand workplace discrimination in theory, it isn’t always easy to spot it in practice. What, exactly, constitutes discrimination?

Let’s take a look at a few examples of discriminatory practices to give you a sense of how unlawful discrimination might manifest in the workplace:

Age Discrimination

• In a job ad, an employer lists “must be under the age of 40” under the conditions of employment.
• An employer refuses to offer older employees the same benefits as younger employees.
• During the recruiting process, recruiters purposefully exclude job applicants over the age of 45 from their candidate pool.

Race Discrimination

• An employer refuses to hire anyone with a specific skin color.
• An employer chooses only to hire people born in the US—excluding candidates of different national origins.
• An employer fires an employee when they find out (and based on the fact that) they’re married to someone of a different race.

Sex Discrimination

• During the hiring process, a recruiter asks job applicants about their sexual orientation—and makes hiring decisions based on their answer.
• An employer hires a male and female employee for the same job—and pays the male more based on his gender.
• During the sourcing process, recruiters filter based on gender—and exclude a specific gender or gender identity from a position.

Pregnancy Discrimination

• During an interview, a hiring manager asks a candidate if they’re pregnant or plan on getting pregnant in the future.
• An employer fires an employee after they request to take medical leave for pregnancy-related issues.
• Before an interview, recruiters look at candidates’ social media profiles—and refuse interviews to any who is pregnant or recently had a child.

Religious Discrimination

• A company refuses to hire anyone from a specific religious group (Muslim, Christian, Jewish, etc.).
• An employer doesn’t allow their workers to adhere to their religion’s dress or grooming practices—for example, not allowing a Jewish employee to wear a yarmulke at work.
• An employer asks for job applicants' religious beliefs on an application—and uses that information to make employment decisions.

Disability Discrimination

• An employer refuses to make reasonable accommodations to allow employees with disabilities to perform their job duties (for example, not making your workplace wheelchair accessible).
• An employer refuses to promote an employee because they have a disability.
• An employer chooses not to hire a candidate that has a child with a disability because they won’t be as available as other employees.

Retaliation Discrimination

• An employer fires an employee because they initiated a discrimination complaint process with the human resources department.
• An employer refuses to hire an employee that filed a discrimination claim against a previous employer.
• An employer fires an employee after finding out they sought legal advice for a discrimination issue.

Discrimination vs. Harassment

Discrimination can take many forms, like passing over a candidate for a promotion based on race or refusing to hire someone based on their age. But one of the most aggressive forms of discrimination occurs when an employee (or group of employees) actively harasses another employee (or group of employees).

Harassment is a form of discrimination that’s defined as “active pressure or intimidation.” Harassment can take a variety of forms, including using racial harassment (like calling a colleague a racial slur) or sexual harassment (for example, a male employee continually making sexually suggestive comments to a female co-worker). 

EEOC Complaints by Discrimination Type

In 2020 (the most recent year with data), 67,448 discrimination charges were filed with the EEOC . Let’s take a look at how those complaints break down:

• ‍ Retaliation : 37,362 (55.8 percent) ‍
• Disability : 24,324 (36.1 percent) ‍
• Age : 14,183 (21 percent) ‍
• Race : 22,064 (32.7 percent) ‍
• Sex : 21,398 (31.7 percent) ‍
• National Origin : 6377 (9.5 percent) ‍
• Color :  3562 (5.3 percent) ‍
• Religion : 2404 (3.6 percent) ‍
• Equal Pay Act : 980 (1.5 percent) ‍
• Genetic Information : 440 (0.7 percent)

Arm Yourself with Knowledge about Workplace Discrimination

Understanding workplace discrimination is a must—for employers and employees alike. And now that you understand the basics of workplace discrimination, you’re armed with the information you need to stop discrimination when you see it—and create safer, more inclusive workplaces in the process.

Ready to transform your business into a profit-pumping machine? Learn how with our monthly newsletter.

Subscription implies consent to our privacy policy.

What is Compa-Ratio and How to Find It?

Does The 40-Hour Workweek Make Sense?

How to Recognize an Employee's Work Anniversary

Essays About Discrimination: Top 5 Examples and 8 Prompts

You must know how to connect with your readers to write essays about discrimination effectively; read on for our top essay examples, including prompts that will help you write.

Discrimination comes in many forms and still happens to many individuals or groups today. It occurs when there’s a distinction or bias against someone because of their age, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or disability.

Discrimination can happen to anyone wherever and whenever they are. Unfortunately, it’s a problem that society is yet to solve entirely. Here are five in-depth examples of this theme’s subcategories to guide you in creating your essays about discrimination.

1. Essay On Discrimination For Students In Easy Words by Prateek

2. personal discrimination experience by naomi nakatani, 3. prejudice and discrimination by william anderson, 4. socioeconomic class discrimination in luca by krystal ibarra, 5. the new way of discrimination by writer bill, 1. my discrimination experience, 2. what can i do to stop discrimination, 3. discrimination in my community, 4. the cost of discrimination, 5. examples of discrimination, 6. discrimination in sports: segregating men and women, 7. how to stop my discrimination against others, 8. what should groups do to fight discrimination.

“In the current education system, the condition of education and its promotion of equality is very important. The education system should be a good place for each and every student. It must be on the basis of equal opportunities for each student in every country. It must be free of discrimination.”

Prateek starts his essay by telling the story of a student having difficulty getting admitted to a college because of high fees. He then poses the question of how the student will be able to get an education when he can’t have the opportunity to do so in the first place. He goes on to discuss UNESCO’s objectives against discrimination. 

Further in the essay, the author defines discrimination and cites instances when it happens. Prateek also compares past and present discrimination, ending the piece by saying it should stop and everyone deserves to be treated fairly.

“I thought that there is no discrimination before I actually had discrimination… I think we must treat everyone equally even though people speak different languages or have different colors of skin.”

In her short essay, Nakatani shares the experiences that made her feel discriminated against when she visited the US. She includes a fellow guest saying she and her mother can’t use the shared pool in a hotel they stay in because they are Japanese and getting cheated of her money when she bought from a small shop because she can’t speak English very well.

“Whether intentional or not, prejudice and discrimination ensure the continuance of inequality in the United States. Even subconsciously, we are furthering inequality through our actions and reactions to others… Because these forces are universally present in our daily lives, the way we use them or reject them will determine how they affect us.”

Anderson explains the direct relationship between prejudice and discrimination. He also gives examples of these occurrences in the past (blacks and whites segregation) and modern times (sexism, racism, etc.)

He delves into society’s fault for playing the “blame game” and choosing to ignore each other’s perspectives, leading to stereotypes. He also talks about affirmative action committees that serve to protect minorities.

“Something important to point out is that there is prejudice when it comes to people of lower class or economic standing, there are stereotypes that label them as untrustworthy, lazy, and even dangerous. This thought is fed by the just-world phenomenon, that of low economic status are uneducated, lazy, and are more likely to be substance abusers, and thus get what they deserve.”

Ibarra recounts how she discovered Pixar’s Luca and shares what she thought of the animation, focusing on how the film encapsulates socioeconomic discrimination in its settings. She then discusses the characters and their relationships with the protagonist. Finally, Ibarra notes how the movie alluded to flawed characters, such as having a smaller boat, mismatched or recycled kitchen furniture, and no shoes. 

The other cast even taunts Luca, saying he smells and gets his clothes from a dead person. These are typical things marginalized communities experience in real life. At the end of her essay, Ibarra points out how society is dogmatic against the lower class, thinking they are abusers. In Luca, the wealthy antagonist is shown to be violent and lazy.

“Even though the problem of discrimination has calmed down, it still happens… From these past experiences, we can realize that solutions to tough problems come in tough ways.”

The author introduces people who called out discrimination, such as Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Barbara Henry – the only teacher who decided to teach Ruby Bridges, despite her skin color. 

He then moves on to mention the variations of present-day discrimination. He uses Donald Trump and the border he wants to build to keep the Hispanics out as an example. Finally, Bill ends the essay by telling the readers those who discriminate against others are bullies who want to get a reaction out of their victims. 

Do you get intimidated when you need to write an essay? Don’t be! If writing an essay makes you nervous, do it step by step. To start, write a simple 5 paragraph essay .

Prompts on Essays About Discrimination

Below are writing prompts that can inspire you on what to focus on when writing your discrimination essay:

Have you had to go through an aggressor who disliked you because you’re you? Write an essay about this incident, how it happened, what you felt during the episode, and what you did afterward. You can also include how it affected the way you interact with people. For example, did you try to tone down a part of yourself or change how you speak to avoid conflict?

List ways on how you can participate in lessening incidents of discrimination. Your list can include calling out biases, reporting to proper authorities, or spreading awareness of what discrimination is.

Is there an ongoing prejudice you observe in your school, subdivision, etc.? If other people in your community go through this unjust treatment, you can interview them and incorporate their thoughts on the matter.

Tackle what victims of discrimination have to go through daily. You can also talk about how it affected their life in the long run, such as having low self-esteem that limited their potential and opportunities and being frightened of getting involved with other individuals who may be bigots.

For this prompt, you can choose a subtopic to zero in on, like Workplace Discrimination, Disability Discrimination, and others. Then, add sample situations to demonstrate the unfairness better.

What are your thoughts on the different game rules for men and women? Do you believe these rules are just? Cite news incidents to make your essay more credible. For example, you can mention the incident where the Norwegian women’s beach handball team got fined for wearing tops and shorts instead of bikinis.

Since we learn to discriminate because of the society we grew up in, it’s only normal to be biased unintentionally. When you catch yourself having these partialities, what do you do? How do you train yourself not to discriminate against others?

Focus on an area of discrimination and suggest methods to lessen its instances. To give you an idea, you can concentrate on Workplace Discrimination, starting from its hiring process. You can propose that applicants are chosen based on their skills, so the company can implement a hiring procedure where applicants should go through written tests first before personal interviews.

If you instead want to focus on topics that include people from all walks of life, talk about diversity. Here’s an excellent guide on how to write an essay about diversity .

Maria Caballero is a freelance writer who has been writing since high school. She believes that to be a writer doesn't only refer to excellent syntax and semantics but also knowing how to weave words together to communicate to any reader effectively.

View all posts

Home — Essay Samples — Social Issues — Racial Discrimination — Racial Discrimination at the Workplace

Racial Discrimination at The Workplace

• Categories: Racial Discrimination

About this sample

Words: 751 |

Published: Jan 29, 2024

Words: 751 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Table of contents

Definition and types of racial discrimination, prevalence of racial discrimination at the workplace, consequences of racial discrimination, legal framework and remedies against racial discrimination, strategies to combat racial discrimination at the workplace, benefits of addressing racial discrimination.

• Direct discrimination refers to overt actions that unfairly and negatively treat individuals based on their race or ethnicity. For example, refusing to hire or promote someone due to their race or ethnicity is a form of direct discrimination.
• Indirect discrimination refers to policies or practices that disproportionately affect certain racial or ethnic groups, even if they do not intend to discriminate. For example, having a job requirement that is irrelevant to the job but disproportionately affects a certain racial or ethnic group is a form of indirect discrimination.
• Harassment and racial slurs refer to verbal or nonverbal behaviors that are offensive, hostile, or intimidating based on someone's race or ethnicity. For example, making racist jokes or using racial slurs is a form of harassment.
• Black job applicants receive 36% fewer callbacks than white applicants with identical qualifications.
• Last year, 25% of Black workers did not receive a salary increase or a promotion compared to 16% of white workers.
• 64% of Asian Americans have experienced some form of discrimination at work, and over a third reported blatant racist remarks at work.
• Latinx workers are among the most likely to experience wage theft, which costs them nearly $2 billion every year in stolen wages.
• Psychological impact on victims, causing feelings of stress, frustration, anger, and sadness.
• Erosion of self-esteem and confidence, leading to decreased motivation and productivity at work.
• Negative impact on mental health and well-being, potentially leading to anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions.
• Economic inequalities and disparities, resulting in lost income opportunities, wage gaps, and limited career advancement.
• Lawsuits and settlements that can lead to monetary compensation, job reinstatement, and punitive damages.
• Efforts to enhance legal protection, such as increasing penalties for discriminatory actions.
• Raising awareness and promoting inclusion through educational campaigns, cultural events, and diversity training programs.
• Implementing diversity training programs to educate employees on the benefits of embracing diversity and understanding the impact of unconscious bias.
• Creating a supportive and inclusive work culture by encouraging open communication, providing resources, and promoting a diverse leadership team.
• Encouraging reporting and support mechanisms to enable employees to speak up about discrimination or harassment without fear of retaliation.
• Enhanced employee morale and productivity due to increased job satisfaction, engagement, and motivation.
• Improved workplace relationships and teamwork, leading to better success and progress in companies.
• Positive impact on company reputation and brand image, promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
• Contribution to a fair and equal society, benefiting communities and society as a whole.
• Blau, F. D., & Kahn, L. M. (2017). The gender wage gap: Extent, trends, and explanations. Journal of Economic Literature, 55(3), 789–865.
• Kyung-Sup, C., & Selfa, T. (2014). Racial discrimination in the U.S. labor market: Employment and wage differentials by skill. The Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 2(1), 204-231.
• Choudhury, R., & Choudhury, S. R. (2018). Understanding Workplace Discrimination: Prevalence , Harassment, and Coping Strategies used by Employees. The European Journal of Social Sciences Research, 6(2), 17-24.

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Dr. Heisenberg

Verified writer

• Expert in: Social Issues

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

3 pages / 1369 words

5 pages / 2120 words

3 pages / 1516 words

2 pages / 1131 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Racial Discrimination

Racism is a pervasive and destructive force that has plagued humanity for centuries. It has led to countless injustices, suffering, and even death. Despite many efforts to combat it, racism continues to persist in various forms [...]

Oprah Winfrey is a prominent figure in the media industry, known for her resilience, determination, and influential impact on various social causes. Despite facing numerous obstacles and setbacks, Oprah Winfrey's resilience and [...]

Slavery is a dark chapter in the history of the United States that has had a lasting impact on the nation. The economic, social, and cultural repercussions of slavery continue to reverberate today, shaping the way we perceive [...]

Black History Month is a significant cultural celebration that should be observed and commemorated for several reasons. This essay aims to explore the historical context, achievements, contributions, promotion of social justice [...]

The Harlem Renaissance, a pivotal cultural and artistic movement of the early 20th century, marked a significant moment in African American history. The era symbolized a newfound freedom from the shackles of slavery and the [...]

The first movie I decided to watch was Crash. I chose this movie first because the title intrigued me, then I did more research about the film and I was excited to watch it for myself. Right off the bat the film starts with a [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

• SUGGESTED TOPICS
• The Magazine
• Newsletters
• Managing Yourself
• Managing Teams
• Work-life Balance
• The Big Idea
• Data & Visuals
• Reading Lists
• Case Selections
• HBR Learning
• Topic Feeds
• Account Settings
• Email Preferences

Research: How Bias Against Women Persists in Female-Dominated Workplaces

• Amber L. Stephenson,
• Leanne M. Dzubinski

A look inside the ongoing barriers women face in law, health care, faith-based nonprofits, and higher education.

New research examines gender bias within four industries with more female than male workers — law, higher education, faith-based nonprofits, and health care. Having balanced or even greater numbers of women in an organization is not, by itself, changing women’s experiences of bias. Bias is built into the system and continues to operate even when more women than men are present. Leaders can use these findings to create gender-equitable practices and environments which reduce bias. First, replace competition with cooperation. Second, measure success by goals, not by time spent in the office or online. Third, implement equitable reward structures, and provide remote and flexible work with autonomy. Finally, increase transparency in decision making.

It’s been thought that once industries achieve gender balance, bias will decrease and gender gaps will close. Sometimes called the “ add women and stir ” approach, people tend to think that having more women present is all that’s needed to promote change. But simply adding women into a workplace does not change the organizational structures and systems that benefit men more than women . Our new research (to be published in a forthcoming issue of Personnel Review ) shows gender bias is still prevalent in gender-balanced and female-dominated industries.

• Amy Diehl , PhD is chief information officer at Wilson College and a gender equity researcher and speaker. She is coauthor of Glass Walls: Shattering the Six Gender Bias Barriers Still Holding Women Back at Work (Rowman & Littlefield). Find her on LinkedIn at Amy-Diehl , Twitter @amydiehl , and visit her website at amy-diehl.com
• AS Amber L. Stephenson , PhD is an associate professor of management and director of healthcare management programs in the David D. Reh School of Business at Clarkson University. Her research focuses on the healthcare workforce, how professional identity influences attitudes and behaviors, and how women leaders experience gender bias.
• LD Leanne M. Dzubinski , PhD is acting dean of the Cook School of Intercultural Studies and associate professor of intercultural education at Biola University, and a prominent researcher on women in leadership. She is coauthor of Glass Walls: Shattering the Six Gender Bias Barriers Still Holding Women Back at Work (Rowman & Littlefield).

Partner Center

• Knowledge Base
• Popular Essay Topics

Gender Discrimination in the Workplace Essay

• Author Kimberly Ball
• Category Popular Essay Topics

Disclaimer: This paper has been submitted by a student. This is not a sample of the work written by professional academic writers.

Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this work are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of StudySaurus.

Introduction

Gender discrimination remains a global issue of great concern within society and in the workplace environment. Discrimination at the workplace has several disadvantages such as low productivity and increased level of demoralization. Discrimination in the workplace remains a contentious issue of great concern that organizations should learn to address (Christy and Brad 12). Many people have argued that favoring specific individuals or communities within the workplace will enhance productivity while other people have an opinion that it greatly affects organizational performance. It is true that women, unlike men, continue to undergo unfair discrimination and unlawful discrimination in the workplace. Some people have argued that discrimination of women over certain activities are essential for the overall performance of the firm while other people also think that gender discrimination is a total violation of work ethics and labor laws (Jennings, para.19). The discussion is an argumentative essay that seeks to provide reasons against and reasons for gender discrimination in the workplace.

The Argument Against Women Discrimination in the Workplace

Increase in Productivity

It is important that the organization treat both men and women the same in the workplace. Offering them equal services in most cases tends to motivate them as they work towards the realization of the organizational success. Treating workers with respect improves their sense of satisfactorily as well as making them happy. However, they display a good image of the company even to the outsiders (Dipboye and Colella 13). Besides, it attracts more inventors to the company with the aim of achieving the set goals.

Additionally, On the other hand, any form of workers discrimination creates rivalry and hatred among employees. Consequently, it adversely affects the performance of the firm (Shih, Young, and Bucher, 145). It is vital for a company to show dignity to their employees for continuous productivity. More so, the company should develop laws that protect the employees’ welfare to reduce job harassment.

Business enterprises should improve in eliminating gender discrimination in the place of work. They should consider women’s rights as well as gender equality. It has effects on transgender and bisexual people thus affecting how they interact with their colleagues (Ghumman and Ryan 677). Companies should enact measures to stop and prevent discrimination to avoid lowering output productivity.

Gender biasing can result in mental illness such as tremor due to outside pressure from the people around (Wolfe 31). The victims usually develop depression and anxiety due to emotional loneliness. They can also engage in the use of drug substances, which has adverse outcomes such as affecting work capabilities and health complications. Mental health problems also affect the company’s managers due to unstable workers who produce low quality work.

It also creates conflicts between employees leading to increased hatred. Discrimination always brings harassment as some people receive favors while others are ill-treated. It develops disunity and divides employees as both sides have followers. As a result, job performance reduces due to office dramas and arguments.

However, conflicts in the workplace always lead to negative results as output production is affected. The organization should enact measures to stop gender biasing to create a peaceful working environment (Christy and Brad, 31). They should ensure that all workers regardless of gender are treated equally without any form of nuisance. It will make each worker appreciate another person as they work towards achieving the company’s goals.

Gender inequality in a workplace lowers company morale as most of the employees engage in worthless activities. The employees working morale is significantly affected due to the division between employees. The clients to are concerned as they receive ill treatments from the employees (Wolfe 4). It displays a lousy company image to the public hence lowering the number of potential clients. Therefore, companies should eliminate any form of gender discrimination to ensure they meet the target market. Adopting diversity in the workplace and managing it more efficiently ensures firms are ready to achieve their goals and target on top of attracting a wider range of potential employees.

Moreover, discriminating workers and hostility to them compromises their productivity level. Therefore, it is advisable that for the new firm venturing in the market to uphold fair treatment free from any form of discrimination as well as teamwork and the employee’s diversification to see the firm achieving its operational goals and policies (Rhode, para.10). On the other hand, some organization might decide to discriminate women given that research shows that women in most cases tend to register a lower level of productivity based on the manner and the nature of a job (Dipboye and Colella 17). It, therefore, indicates that discrimination has both the good and its negative effect on the overall performance of the business.

Women contribute to the company’s productivity as many works hard to keep their families. Many are single parents hence they ensure that they provide needs to people concerned. Increase in workers conflict has an impact in the office productivity due to reducing in work enthusiasm. To generate better produce any organization should ensure that there is peaceful coexistence between workers and their seniors.

It will increase the employee’s comfortability and enjoyment when attending to their duties. It also leads to a rise in the worker’s sense of belonging as they feel the need to perform their tasks (De Hart and Dayton, 16). Moreover, women biasing lower the companies productivity permanent measures should be enacted to curb the issue.

Arguments for the Need for Women Discrimination

Nature of Certain Work Types

Many organizations can decide to discriminate women based on the nature of certain jobs. Some job types only require the service of the man and not women. Additionally, some research shows that women have a lower rate of productivity and offering them a chance might not have the value that the organization needs for the realization of its major objective and even demands towards the realization of its goals (Denissen and Saguy 388). The management will decide not to employ women given that they also tend to be slow in the manner that they carry out their activities.

Some Job Types only Require Men and not Women

Certain jobs that require a lot of energy may not favor women at the workplace. Therefore, it will force the organization to look for the men and not women. For example, a construction firm will mainly prefer working with men and not women. Men are known to produce quality job as compared with women. Women are known not to like working under pressure or in certain conditions.

Women Tend to have many Excuses with Limited Flexibility as Compared to Men

It will be difficult for the women gender to work in places that seem to be of hardship as compared to men. Most women prefer working places that seems close to their homes and family so that they can give or attend to their family needs. It, therefore, shows that most organization will find it easy to avoid recruiting women in the workplace based on the numerous challenges. For instance, the moment that the firm decides to give a woman two months of  pregnancy leave, the firm will be facing employee and productivity challenges. Considering the above factors altogether, it will then be possible for the firm to discriminate women at the workplace.

Gender discrimination remains an issue of great concern. Based on my argument and reasoning, I take a point that women discrimination has many challenges in life as compared to the benefits. Discriminating women within organizations are harmful to the business performance given that it tends to demoralize the ability of the employees to deliver their level best to enhance productivity. Treating employees on an equal basis gives them a sense of belonging. Workers feel motivated when frequently involved in the decision-making process and into the daily operations. The primary goal of every firm is to work towards increasing profit realization through employee’s productivity, and most of the male counterpart will feel discouraged when women receive unfair treatment. However, in some cases, reasons such as low productivity might make it a better reason to discriminate against women in the workplace. Women tend to have a lower rate of workplace flexibility as compared to men, and that makes it a better reason for discriminating them.

Was this material helpful?

Related essays, about studysaurus, community. knowledge. success..

StudySaurus is run by two uni-students that still get a kick out of learning new things. We hope to share these experiences with you.

Ideas ,  concepts ,  tutorials,   essay papers  – everything we would’ve liked to have known, seen or heard during our high-school & UNI years, we want to bring to YOU.

Privacy & Cookies Policy Terms and Conditions DMCA Request

Racial Discrimination at the Workplace Essay

Introduction, proposed change, background and history, opposition and refutations, works cited.

Racial discrimination is a common occurrence throughout the world. Individuals are discriminated based on the color of their skin. Some races are discriminated based on various factors. Human rights organizations have come out strongly in opposition to any form of inequity.

In the current age of globalization and the onset of the global village, many people from different racial backgrounds are finding their way into other countries in search of better employment terms. This fact has made the contemporary workplace the most diverse that has ever been created. The emergence of racial diversity has led to the problem of racial discrimination, where people are mistreated or harassed based on the color of their skin.

Developed countries such as those in North America and Europe have managed to attract a large population of colored people. These people have come in search of jobs and other services such as education while others, such as the black race in North America are the products of the slave trade.

These continents have reported higher incidences of racial discrimination compared to other parts of the world (Racial Discrimination in the United States Past and Present 1). The workplace in these regions is among the leading areas where discrimination occurs. Therefore, this essay looks at racial discrimination in the workplace by focusing mainly on developed nations.

The main change that is discussed in this essay is the introduction of legislation that will see the creation of a special authority that is aimed at guaranteeing the freedom of all workers at the workplace. There is a need for the federal government to enact legislation that spells out the punishments for people who discriminate others at the workplace based on their race.

The legislation also needs to create a special body that will have branches in all states. The body will provide a place where employees can report racial discrimination cases in the light of the ineffectiveness of the existing legislation and bodies that are charged with reducing racial discrimination.

This essay focuses on the necessary change in the workplace that is required to overcome the problem of discrimination. Some of the changes envisioned in this essay include the reduction in the different types of discrimination at the workplace. There have been many reports on workplace discrimination where individuals are differentiated based on their race (U.S. Department of Labor 1).

Racial discrimination may occur at any stage in employment, starting at the recruitment phase where employees are denied work because of their racial affiliations.

In fact, “discrimination today ranges from simply not calling people for a job interview because their non-Anglo or African-American names happen to be Manuel, Mohammed, or Jaquetta” (Weatherspoon and Isaac 2). In this case, the employer complains that employing a certain individual will be bad, and against the company’s policy.

Racial discrimination also affects many races, with the most commonly discriminated races being the black and other colored people (U.S. Department of Labor 1). In the case of the United States of America, the most widely discriminated race is the black race (U.S. Department of Labor 1). This state has a long history of slavery where the black population was sold to work in farms and other industries.

After the end of slavery, most of the black population became citizens and had the right to basic services and employment, just like other citizens. The discrimination of the black race takes many forms at the workplace in the US. Lewis confirms that the most common form is a failure to hire individuals based on their racial affiliation (‘Identifying Discrimination’ 9).

Most companies that have advertised for posts for various positions usually have to carry out interviews and select the employees that are most qualified and skilled to work in these positions (Lewis ‘Identifying Discrimination’ 27). Some of the black applicants have reported various forms of discrimination at the workplace, including being denied employment despite being more qualified than the rest of the applicants to the same position.

The black employees that can be employed also report various forms of racial discrimination, such as being called racial names and having to work longer about their non-black counterparts. This form of discrimination needs to be abolished in the workplace.

The suggested claim is that there should be the enactment of a new law on the federal level to prevent and punish people who are suspected of racism. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reveals, “The law’s prohibitions should include harassment or any other employment action” (par. 3).

There is a need for the federal government to create a new law that outlines the different punishments for employees who practice racism at the workplace. The law needs to be based on the basic freedom to which every citizen is entitled. This freedom should be protected even at the workplace.

This law also needs to be structured in a way that special authority is created to investigate and prosecute employers and employees who practice racism in the United States.

There are different effects that this proposed solution would have on the racial discrimination of employees at the workplace in the United States. It is likely to have a reduction in the number of incidents where employees are discriminated at the workplace in the US. The other effect is that there is a likelihood of having employers reduce the racial profiling that is evident in most places of work in this region.

The implementation of the law against employment discrimination at the workplace will improve the overall discrimination in the country that is known for its racial profiling. There are many incidents of racial discrimination against some races, even away from the work environment. The law will go a long way in reducing this situation.

Without the introduction of this law, the discrimination against employees at the workplace is likely to continue. It is likely that employers will continue to offer limited spaces for different races due to racial influence. The legal system is also likely to have sustained suits where individuals are blamed for racial actions at the workplace.

The injustice of racial discrimination will continue if the law is not enacted and authority established to take care of the racial discrimination in the workplace. The introduction of this special law to tackle the problem of racial discrimination in the workplace will have significant results in the reduction of the same issue.

Without this authority, the federal government has little control over employee discrimination at the workplace in the US. Racial discrimination is an important human rights issue that any developed nation should be prepared to counter. The US should use this authority to take care of the problem. The other main reason for the racial discrimination at the workplace is the mentality that has been held by citizens about the different races.

Different studies have found that the population has different opinions about different races. This situation affects the way they view these races, even in the workplace. The established authority will be an important source of education for citizens by ensuring that they respect the rights of other individuals who are of different races at the workplace.

Racial discrimination is not a new finding at the workplaces in the United States. It dates back to the years of slavery in this place (Racial Discrimination in the United States Past and Present 1). The white class discriminated the black population based on the inferior nature that they perceived of this group.

During those days of slavery, merchants could buy black people from Africa as servants to work for their masters in the various farms around the United States. The white population saw itself as the rightful owner of the land. Therefore, it could mistreat the black population that was thought to be inferior.

The racial discrimination against the Indians in the US was driven by their desire to control the land that was initially theirs. The white colonizers took large chunks of land from the Indians, with the latter being forced to move to other less favorable areas or work for the whites as their masters. Those who chose to work for the white masters were often mistreated.

The main reason for the discrimination was the whites’ perception that the Indians were inferior to the white people (The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission par. 6). Racial discrimination continued even after the United States attained its independence. The Indians and the blacks were racially discriminated in the workplace, with less favorable conditions at the working stations.

The other races, such as those that moved into the US from Mexico or Asia mainly came here to offer their services in the construction industry that was experiencing significant growth at that time. The nation was in the process of building many industries and infrastructure.

These individuals were required to participate in the construction of various projects. Since the individuals were different in color from the white inhabitants, they were discriminated based on this parameter, hence confirming Lewis’ claims that the case of color prejudice is becoming rampant in courtyards (par.1).

With the abolishing of slavery and the introduction of the constitution that defined the rights of the citizens, racial discrimination significantly reduced in most of the urban centers where authorities were enforcing these rights and freedoms. However, the recognition of different races in the workplace took long. Employers reserved the right to employ workers who pleased them.

Most employers were reluctant to employ the different races that were present in the market. They preferred employing the dominant white race. This brought about several problems with racial discrimination in the workplace.

Since the discriminated races were few at the workplace, their fellow employees would easily target them, with racial sentiments being made against them. The employer could also offer difficult tasks for these races as compared to what their counterparts were required to do. This brought about the persistent problem of discrimination in the workplace.

Some scholars have suggested that discrimination at the workplace was used as a form of security for the dominant race where they could racially discriminate other races to ensure that they did not take the limited jobs that were present (Racial Discrimination in the United States Past and Present 1).

This strategy was a way of defending the few jobs that were available in public, as well as the private sectors. The current prevalence of racial discrimination resulted from historical injustices and racial stereotyping.

First Opposition

Different opposing arguments have been advanced against the introduction of law and authority to take care of the rampant racial discrimination in the United States. One of the arguments is that the law will be hard to enforce since employers in this state are at liberty to employ individuals that they see as being fit to run their organizations (Racial Discrimination in the United States Past and Present 2).

The opposition is that the introduction of such a law will be against the policies and business environment in the country, which are aimed at protecting the employer and enhancing the productivity of their businesses.

If employers are made to choose employees by any authority, such as the proposed one, opponents claim that this move will affect their performance and contribute towards further discrimination in the places that were not initially willing to take the employees.

First Refutation

In refuting this claim to the opposition, many ways can be used to apply the law without forcing employers to employ individuals that they view as being inadequate to work at their workplace. One way that employers can be challenged in reducing racial discrimination in the workplace through this law is to make them give reasons for rejecting employees in interviews.

This strategy can ensure that the authority is aware of the reasons and that it can weigh them about the race-based claims made by the potential employees. This case can also be an added advantage for the employers since they can use these reasons to defend themselves in a court of law if accused of racial discrimination in the employee selection process.

Second Opposition

The second opposition to the creation of such authority and law against the racial discrimination of individuals is that it will bear significant costs to implement. The enforcement of laws requires a dedicated public and aggressive legal system.

The federal government will also need to train several individuals to ensure that the legislation is being respected in the areas where there is a likelihood of racial discrimination at the workplace. This effort will require significant financial input, with the deferral government being responsible for the same.

The opponents are also likely to claim that the government is spending highly on the measures that are aimed at preventing racial discrimination along many fronts and that the implementation of such a law will contribute towards increasing the wage bill.

The measures used to fight the human right abuse in most parts of the world have usually necessitated large inputs in the form of financing. The involved governments have always footed this bill (U.S. Department of Labor 1). This may be the reason for the claim against the proposed legislation to curb racial discrimination in the workplace.

Second Refutation

This assertion, just like the one before it, is refutable based on the several counterarguments that can be used to this effect. It is a fact that legislation to protect the basic rights of individuals may be expensive in the beginning. The benefits of the legislation are more than the financial costs that might be incurred by any nation.

With the introduction of this legislation to guard against racial discrimination at the workplace, the races in the US will be empowered. This situation will bring about improvement in their socio-economic status (U.S. Department of Labor 1). This improvement will be a positive one in the US in general since citizens will be able to contribute effectively to nation-building.

Third Opposition

The third opposing claim is that the introduction of legislation to reduce racial discrimination will be ineffective. The basis for this argument is that many laws exist that prohibit the practice of racial discrimination in the United States, just like in many parts of the world. These laws have had little effect of racial discrimination at the workplace in the places where it is still rampant.

The claim that racial discrimination has not been reduced by any legislation is also based on the existing legislation on the international front where global bodies have formulated laws to prevent it (Racial Discrimination in the United States Past and Present 1).

For example, the UN is one of the bodies that are active in the formulation of laws that protect the rights of every individual. The workplaces that have been reported to have incidents of racial discrimination also have their own set of rules. Some of these rules are supposed to prevent such a problem. The opponents will use these facts to argue against such legislation.

Third Refutation

The claim that previous legislation has not been effective in reducing racial discrimination in the workplace is valid. The only difference is that the previous legislation has not had the authority in support of the laws. Few individuals were available to enforce it.

The international laws against any form of discrimination have also been ineffective because they have not received support from many quarters. Therefore, the federal authority should commit to keeping this legislation by creating a special body that will oversee the implementation of this law.

If implemented appropriately, racial discrimination at the places of work is likely to decrease over the next few years. However, the problem of racial discrimination at the workplace will remain a big predicament in areas where the law is not able to reach, including the areas that are traditionally known to have high levels of racial discrimination.

The federal authorities should also ensure that they increase funding for the programs that train individuals against racial discrimination at the workplace. This strategy will contribute to the reduction in the number of incidents at the workplaces.

In conclusion, discrimination in the workplace is one of the contemporary problems that affect many parts of the world. People are often discriminated based on the color of their skin and the racial background with which they are associated. This essay has established that many organizations have put in place measures that are aimed at eliminating the problem of racial discrimination at the places of work.

However, the problem is persistent. The essay has proposed the introduction of a federal law that is to take care of the problem. Authority is also to be established to take care of this rampant human rights problem. Three arguments against the move have been advanced. These claims have been refuted using several counterarguments. If this measure is implemented, it is likely that racial discrimination at the workplace will reduce in the next few years.

Lewis, Jackson. Skin Color Bias is growing as a Basis for Discrimination Claims, 2004. Web.

Lewis, Tamara. Identifying Discrimination in Employment, 2008. Web.

Racial Discrimination in the United States Past and Present . Reach For tolerance , n.d. Web.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Employment Discrimination Based on Religion, Ethnicity, or Country of Origin , n.d. Web.

U.S. Department of Labor. Know Your Rights: Workplace Rights, 2013. Web.

Weatherspoon, Floyd, and Kendall Isaac. Resolving Race Discrimination in Employment Disputes through Mediation: A Win-win for all Parties, n.d. Web.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2024, February 19). Racial Discrimination at the Workplace. https://ivypanda.com/essays/labor-law-racial-discrimination-at-the-workplace/

"Racial Discrimination at the Workplace." IvyPanda , 19 Feb. 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/labor-law-racial-discrimination-at-the-workplace/.

IvyPanda . (2024) 'Racial Discrimination at the Workplace'. 19 February.

IvyPanda . 2024. "Racial Discrimination at the Workplace." February 19, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/labor-law-racial-discrimination-at-the-workplace/.

1. IvyPanda . "Racial Discrimination at the Workplace." February 19, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/labor-law-racial-discrimination-at-the-workplace/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Racial Discrimination at the Workplace." February 19, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/labor-law-racial-discrimination-at-the-workplace/.

• Negative Aspects of Discrimination at the Workplace
• Racial Discrimination and Its Effects on Employees
• Racial Discrimination in Employment
• Racial Discrimination in America
• Age Discrimination at the Workplace
• Racial and Gender Discrimination in the Workplace and Housing
• The Role of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
• Social Problems Surrounding Racism, Prejudice and Discrimination
• Racial Discrimination in Employment in the US
• Discrimination Complaint and the Litigation Process
• Labor Law: Employees’ Rights and Responsibilities
• Labor-Related Laws in US
• Labor Issues: Employment at Will
• Australian Employment Welfare
• Labor Aristocracy in Australia

Advancing social justice, promoting decent work ILO is a specialized agency of the United Nations

The ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work , adopted in 1998 and amended in 2022, is an expression of commitment by governments, employers' and workers' organizations to uphold basic human values - values that are vital to our social and economic lives. It affirms the obligations and commitments that are inherent in membership of the ILO, namely:

• freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining;
• the elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour;
• the effective abolition of child labour;
• the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation; and
• a safe and healthy working environment.

Read the full text of the Declaration

Follow-up to the Declaration

The commitment is supported by a Follow-up procedure. The aim of the follow-up is to encourage the efforts made by the Members of the Organization to promote the fundamental principles and rights enshrined in the Constitution of the ILO and the Declaration of Philadelphia and reaffirmed in the 1998 Declaration.

This follow-up has two aspects based on existing procedures:

• The Annual follow-up concerning non-ratified fundamental Conventions will entail merely some adaptation of the present modalities of application of article 19, paragraph 5(e), of the Constitution.
• The Global Report on fundamental principles and rights at work that will serve to inform the recurrent discussion at the Conference on the needs of the Members, the ILO action undertaken, and the results achieved in the promotion of the fundamental principles and rights at work.

There is a third way to give effect to the Declaration, the Technical Cooperation Projects which are designed to address identifiable needs in relation to the Declaration and to strengthen local capacities thereby translating principles into practice.

Annual Review under the follow-up to the Declaration

Member States that have not ratified one or more of the fundamental ILO instruments directly relating to the principles and rights stated in the Declaration, including the Protocol of 2014 to the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 , are asked each year to report on the status of the relevant rights and principles within their borders. The reporting process provides governments and social partners with an opportunity to state what measures have been taken towards achieving respect for the Declaration, as well as to note impediments to ratification of the relevant instruments and areas where assistance may be required.

On the basis of the governments’ annual reports and observations by employers’ and workers’ organizations, the International Labour Office prepares and updates country baselines , which serve as a starting point to evaluate the extent to which the fundamental principles and rights at work are given effect in practice. The baselines also aim at facilitating the governments’ future reporting obligations.

• See all country baselines under the 1998 Declaration Annual Review

Five Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work

Freedom of association and the right of collective bargaining

Elimination of forced or compulsory labour

Abolition of child labour

Elimination of discrimination at work

A safe and healthy working environment

Integrated Strategy on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work 2017-2023

The teeth of the ILO - The impact of the 1998 ILO Declaration on Fundamentals Principles and Rights at Work