The law protects workers from facing discrimination in the workplace. In fact, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) shows that workplace discrimination is on the decline. Yet, there are still some people who are subjected to discrimination at work. They just don’t always recognize the signs.
If you have been struggling to get ahead at work and are continually met with roadblocks, you may be dealing with discrimination.
Everyone deserves to be treated fairly at work. If you are experiencing any of the following signs, it is time to talk to HR. These signs include:
- Interview questions that seem suspicious. If you are being interviewed for a job in a male-dominated industry and the interviewer asks you if you always wear such short skirts, that is an example of a suspicious question. By asking that question, they may be implying that your attire might distract the men. This is entirely inappropriate. If this isn’t something that a male would be asked, it is discrimination.
- Hostile communication disguised as a joke. If jokes are being made within earshot of you or are directly told to you, and they take aim at your looks, religion, race or gender, you may be dealing with discrimination.
- Unequal pay. If you earn $50,000 per year and someone of the opposite sex earns $65,000 for doing the exact same job, that is discrimination.
- Inappropriate age references. This is something that often occurs in the tech industry. Your employer may make comments such as, “You probably don’t understand how such and such a program works” because of your age. They may imply that the younger generation understands things that the older generation does not. Either way, it’s discrimination.
If you recognize yourself in any of the above scenarios, you will need assistance to prove that you are being subjected to workplace discrimination.