Employment is a basic need for most adults. People need jobs to earn income and support themselves. There are numerous state and federal laws regulating employment relationships to protect people from inappropriate conduct.
Generally speaking, employers should not discriminate against workers on the basis of protected characteristics. A worker’s religion, race, national origin, medical condition or sex should not influence their employment opportunities. While discrimination has become less blatant and widespread, it still affects many different types of professionals.
Some workers may experience racial discrimination. Employers treat them differently based on their skin color or race. In such situations, the affected professionals may have grounds to pursue a racial discrimination lawsuit. The following are some of the ways that companies continue to discriminate against workers now that discrimination is no longer socially acceptable.
A glass ceiling
People often refer to the glass ceiling when talking about advancement opportunities for female professionals. However, research has shown that people may also face a glass ceiling imposed on them by their employers because of their race. In theory, they have opportunities to advance their careers within their companies. In practice, members of certain races may not be able to secure promotions beyond a certain point. Promotion discrimination is a common way that racial discrimination manifests in modern workplaces.
Discriminatory appearance policies
There are several ways in which a company’s internal policies might allow for racial discrimination. Prohibitions on certain hairstyles that help protect wavy or curly hair from damage and limit the need for chemical treatments are an example of racial discrimination in an employee’s appearance code. Even policies forbidding beards could constitute racial discrimination, as men with darker complexions may be more likely to develop painful and unattractive razor burn if their employers force them to remain clean-shaven.
Inaction, if there is a hostile work environment
Management does not need to directly discriminate against workers for racial discrimination to be an issue. Even companies that have clear anti-discrimination policies may allow employees to target and mistreat other workers on the basis of their race. Management might ignore complaints or even punish those who report issues with coworkers by asserting that they don’t fit into the company culture. Workers should not have to accept mistreatment on the basis of their race as a condition of remaining employed.
Those who have endured racial discrimination in the workplace may have grounds to take legal action. Filing a lawsuit successfully can compensate workers for lost opportunities and the various consequences of workplace discrimination. A successful lawsuit can also change the culture of a company to better support other workers in the future.