Being discriminated against for any reason is a horrible thing to go through, and it should never be tolerated. When it comes to racial discrimination or discrimination based on the color of a person’s skin, there are legal guidelines that define this type of unlawful behavior in the working environment.
It is illegal to discriminate or harass for reasons of race or color in the working environment. This means that it is unlawful to treat a person unfairly because of his or her race or perceived race, facial features, skin color or physical appearance.
To what environment does the discrimination law apply to?
It is unlawful to discriminate at any part of the hiring process. This means that the hiring process itself must be free from bias and discrimination. There must also be strict policies in place to protect employees from discrimination that comes from coworkers and potentially customers. It is unlawful also to fire a person for any reason relating to his or her color or race.
What is racial harassment?
Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for an employee to be harassed by a coworker or customer. Harassment can include racial slurs being directed at them, inappropriate remarks and observations that make them feel uncomfortable and the creation of a hostile working environment because of this. It is also important to remember that racial discrimination and harassment can be from a person of the same race as the victim.
It is important to take action if you believe you have been the victim of racial discrimination or harassment so that you can get the outcome that you deserve.
Source: US Equal Opportunity Employment Commission, “Race/Color Discrimination,” accessed Jan. 19, 2018