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What is Employment Discrimination?

July 9, 2018

What Is Employment Discrimination?

Under the federal law, every organization or employer has to treat their employees equally in a fair and just manner. Unfortunately, a vast majority of employers continue to discriminate on the basis of race, gender, religion and even nationality. Almost 100,000 new employment discrimination cases are reported across the country. According to employment discrimination lawyers, a vast majority of discrimination cases go unreported as most people are unaware of their civil rights. Therefore, it is important that you are fully aware of different types of employment discrimination and how you can exercise your civil rights.

Types of Employment Discrimination

As mentioned earlier, there are several types of employment discrimination. Employers can discriminate on the basis of race, gender, age, religion, and even sexual orientation. In most cases, people are found to be victims of retaliatory discrimination. Some types of employment discrimination are listed below:

  • Racial Discrimination – Discrimination on the basis of your racial background. Employers tend to discriminate their employees on the basis of the color of their skin or ethnic background. This includes refusal to hire people just because they belong to a certain race or nationality.

  • Gender Discrimination – Mostly women are victims of gender discrimination in workplaces. According to a study, over 40% of women have faced discrimination. Employment discrimination on the basis of gender can include sexual harassment, unequal pay, biased demeanor and pregnancy discrimination as well.

  • Disability Discrimination – Although federal laws provide comprehensive protection to disabled citizens, a significant percentage of people face employment discrimination due to their disabilities.

  • Retaliatory Discrimination – This is the most common type of discrimination found in the workplace. Employees who perform a legal activity such as reporting a misconduct within the office environment are made targets of retaliatory discrimination. It can be in the form of demotions, salary deductions or even termination. According to wrongful termination lawyers, most of the cases they handle involve retaliatory discrimination by the employers.

  • Religious Discrimination – Under the law, employers are allowed to treat all their employees equally and also reasonably accommodate their religious beliefs. Some employers still tend to discriminate on the basis of religious beliefs, denying people employment or subjecting them to discriminatory treatment within the workplace.

How Can an Employment Discrimination Lawyer Help You?

If you have been subjected to any kind of employment discrimination, you can file a discrimination claim under the Illinois Human Rights Act. In order to substantiate your claim, you would be required to present evidence. An employment discrimination lawyer can use their experience and help you build your case. It is important that you win your case so that you can be compensated reasonably for the losses you may have incurred due to the discriminatory actions of your employer.

If you believe that you have been subjected to discrimination by your employer and want to schedule a free consultation with an experienced employment discrimination lawyer, contact the Law Office of Michael Smith.