There are various ways that somebody could be discriminated against in the workplace, with several federal laws in place to prevent discrimination against employees based on factors such as national origin, skin color, religion, gender, race, disability, sex, and pregnancy. However, unfortunately, these laws do not always prevent every employee from experiencing discrimination at work. If you believe that you’re currently experiencing this, these are some of the main steps to take.
Tell Your Employer:
If you are experiencing discrimination from another colleague or manager, the first thing to do is inform your employer. This is especially necessary if you use remote workers. You may need to go up higher when reporting if your supervisor or line manager is the one who is discriminating against you at work. Check out these common types of workplace discrimination if you want to learn more about the type of discrimination that you believe you are experiencing and the laws that are in place to prevent it. The more you know, the easier it will be to report exactly what is happening to your employer and hopefully get the right response.
Report it to the EEOC:
If you have reported discrimination at your workplace to your employer and did not get a response, the next step is the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. This is an organization that is responsible for overseeing compliance with the federal anti-discrimination laws that are in place for employers. In addition to going to the EEOC, it’s worth contacting your state employment agency where you might be able to get help and advice on what to do next. This might be necessary to get the attention of your employer and spur them on when it comes to dealing with your case.
Document the Discrimination:
Discrimination can take on many different forms in the workplace and it is not always glaringly obvious. Because of this, it can be helpful to keep a journal and document your experiences to make it easier to come back and report on what happened and how it made you feel if the case goes to court in the future. You may also want to ask any colleagues at your workplace who may have witnessed the discrimination against you if they can make a note of what happened. This can help strengthen your case, especially if the discrimination is taking place in a way that will be difficult to prove.
Get Legal Support and Advice:
Finally, getting an attorney on your case is an ideal choice, as they can help you navigate the legal side of things and ensure that your employer responds appropriately and in accordance with the law. A good lawyer will be able to help you make sense of what has been happening and the process that you’ll need to follow to get it dealt with as quickly as possible.
While discrimination based on a number of different factors is outlawed in workplaces today, sadly, not everybody will take notice of these laws. Informing your employer, a lawyer, and independent agencies that work to fight discrimination at work are some of the main things to do if you feel that you are being discriminated against for who you are.
