Whether you are an employer or an employee, you should be wary of any potential signs of employment discrimination, including racial discrimination. While these signs may sometimes be obvious, they can also be more subtle and difficult to notice, allowing it to continue for a shockingly long time without being addressed. Here are seven signs of possible racial discrimination you should watch out for:
- Lack of diversity
-
-
- One of the first possible signs that a workplace may have a discrimination issue is that it lacks racial diversity. This is especially true if there are few non-white people among the executives or managers at the company, which may indicate the company does not offer many opportunities to racial minorities.
-
- Inappropriate language or jokes
-
-
- Another potential sign that your workplace may have issues with racial discrimination is that people can make inappropriate jokes, or use inappropriate or derogatory language. This might include the use of racial slurs, but may also include less openly offensive statements couched as jokes.
-
- Exclusion or isolation
-
-
- It can also be a sign of racial discrimination if people who belong to certain racial or ethnic groups are intentionally excluded from workplace events, or otherwise isolated from their peers. This can make it harder to network or build up relationships with their peers, impeding their professional advancement.
-
- Pay disparities
-
-
- While people often do not share their salaries with their co-workers, it can be helpful to do so, since it can reveal which employees are not being paid the same as their peers. If it turns out that people of certain ethnic or racial groups are not paid the same as their peers, that can indicate potential discrimination.
-
- Lack of opportunity for advancement
-
-
- Racial discrimination can also take the form of unequal access to opportunities for raises or promotions. This may manifest as people being excluded from training sessions or industry events that are mandatory for promotion, or it can appear as simply not being told about open positions they may be qualified for.
-
- Unequal punishments for the same infraction
-
-
- By the same token, racial discrimination can also manifest as unequal treatment when it comes to discipline for misconduct. If a white employee gets a slap on the wrist, while another non-white employee faces pay cuts or other professional disciplinary measures, it may indicate potential discrimination.
-
- Retaliation against reports of discrimination
-
- Employers are not supposed to retaliate against employees who report potential discrimination, regardless of whether it’s a report to HR or a report to a government agency. When they do, that can be a sign of deeper issues with discrimination at the company.
If you have an employment issue, give the Law Office of Andrew Ross Sack a call. Andrew Ross Sack is a New York and New Jersey employment lawyer who has considerable experience in handling the many aspects of labor and employment law. To schedule a consultation with New York City/Long Island/Westchester employment lawyer Andrew Ross Sack, call (516) 526-3319 or visit his contact page.
