Employment discrimination is sometimes blatant, involving someone shouting slurs or making openly derogatory remarks. However, many forms of discrimination are much more subtle, and you may not realize it’s happening. Here are a few common warning signs to remember if you are being denied a promotion, raise, bonus, or other job benefits back because of your race, religion, nationality, sex, sexual preference or gender identity.
Other people in your same position make more money than you.
This can be difficult to discover, since most companies don’t make employee salaries public. Some people consider discussing their salaries to be impolite. However, if you can uncover that information, you might find you’re making significantly less than your non-minority coworkers. This can be a sign that you are a victim of discrimination.
You’re consistently passed over for promotions and raises.
You’ve put in the work and the time, so you expect to be rewarded. And yet, any time you seek a promotion or a raise, you’re denied. Or, when your company decides to hand out promotions and raises, you’re somehow left out of the group. It’s easy to think it might be your own fault somehow, but it could simply be that you are a discrimination victim.
Less skilled or experienced employees are promoted over you.
Sometimes discrimination isn’t just about what you’re denied, but also what other people get rewarded for. If you’ve been working at a company for a while and see other less qualified employees (or people who have put in less time) promoted to higher positions, it’s possible that you’re being kept down due to discrimination.
Your supervisor or boss states they have a preferred employee “type.”
This is a more blatant form of discrimination and it’s more likely to escape notice. A manager or supervisor might say flat out that they prefer certain kinds of candidates for jobs or promotions. If they’re willing to say that out loud, chances are they’re also making employment decisions along the same lines which may give rise to a discrimination lawsuit.
Getting denied benefits or compensation.
Many jobs, especially those requiring experience or uncommon skills, come with benefits as part of the hiring package. But you may find that no offer of extra benefits is made to you even though you are well-qualified for the position. And yet, when you try to take advantage of those benefits or claim that additional compensation, you may find yourself inexplicably denied. In such a situation, you could have a discrimination case.
Access to company facilities is denied or disrupted.
If your building has a break room, kitchen or bathrooms, you should reasonably expect that you’ll have free access to those facilities. And yet, some employers will restrict or disrupt access to those facilities as a way of pushing out employees who they don’t like. This is also potentially a form of discrimination.
Sudden, unexplained downturns in employee reviews.
Often a symptom of retaliation for complaining about discrimination, you may find that supervisors who previously liked you will suddenly like you less the moment you complain about potential misconduct. Employee reviews that were previously positive may suddenly start describing you as disruptive, lazy, incompetent, or “not a team player,” even though you’ve done nothing different. An unflattering review can create a pretext for other forms of retaliation, such as cutting your pay or benefits or even firing you, so watch out.
If you believe you are the victim of employment discrimination, contact the Law Office of Andrew Ross Sack. Mr. Sack will protect your rights and strive to bring the relief you deserve. Give him a call at (516) 526-3319, or visit his contact page.