Examples of racial discrimination at work include direct actions such as unfair treatment due to race, indirect policies that disadvantage certain racial groups, harassment, and victimization. These behaviors can take many forms, from offensive comments to discriminatory hiring practices.
A Boston racial discrimination lawyer can help if you’ve experienced any of these actions in your workplace. Understanding the different ways race discrimination can occur is key to protecting your rights.
If you believe you’ve been treated unfairly based on your race, speaking with a lawyer can provide guidance on how to address the issue and seek justice for the discrimination you’ve faced.
What Is Direct Discrimination?
Direct racial discrimination occurs when a person is treated unfairly or placed at a disadvantage because of:
- Their race.
- The race of someone they are associated with, known as “discrimination by association.”
- Their perceived race, even if that perception is incorrect, known as “discrimination by perception.”
If you’ve experienced any of these forms of discrimination in the workplace, a Boston employment discrimination lawyer can help you understand your rights and take action against unfair treatment.
For a free legal consultation, call (860) 999-9394
Examples of Direct Discrimination
If you’ve experienced any form of discrimination similar to the examples below, a Boston labor and employment lawyer can help you address the issue and seek justice.
Direct Discrimination
Carlos, who is Hispanic, gets into a disagreement with a white coworker. Both were equally responsible, but Carlos received a final written warning while the other person only got a first warning. The investigation was biased, assuming Carlos caused the issue. This is direct discrimination.
Discrimination by Association
Emma, who is white American, misses out on a client opportunity that could have brought in a significant bonus. The reason? Her spouse is from Nigeria, and the management team believes the client’s CEO prefers working with individuals who align with “American culture.” This is discrimination by association.
Discrimination by Perception
Alex applies for a job and is rejected. The employer mistakenly believes Alex’s last name is Polish and holds prejudice against Eastern Europeans. In reality, Alex is of Irish descent. This is discrimination by perception. If Alex were Polish, it would be direct discrimination.
If you’ve faced any of these situations, a Boston racial discrimination attorney can help protect your rights and take action.
What Is Indirect Discrimination?
Indirect race discrimination happens when a workplace policy, rule, or practice applies to everyone but unfairly impacts a specific person or group due to their race.
Even if the policy seems neutral on the surface, it can still create barriers or disadvantages for certain racial groups. If you feel a workplace rule is putting you or others at a disadvantage based on race, it’s important to take action and seek advice.
Click to contact our labor & employment lawyers today
Examples of Indirect Discrimination
Below, you’ll find scenarios that represent indirect discrimination. These examples are often harder to spot than direct discrimination; however, they are just as serious.
Example 1: Indirect Discrimination
A cleaning company is reducing staff and uses English language skills as a factor in deciding who will be let go. Two Bulgarian cleaners, who speak English but struggle with written skills, are selected for redundancy. The other cleaners, whose first language is English, are not affected.
This could be indirect discrimination because it disadvantages workers whose first language isn’t English. The employer would need to prove that strong written English is essential for the job to justify their decision.
Example 2: Indirect Discrimination
An employer changes their business hours, requiring all employees to work on Saturdays. This affects a Jewish employee who observes the Sabbath and cannot work that day.
If the employer cannot justify why every employee must work on Saturdays, this may be considered indirect discrimination based on the employee’s religious practices.
Complete a Free Case Evaluation form now
What Is Racial Harassment?
Racial harassment happens when someone faces unwanted behavior related to their race, such as offensive comments or racist language.
For it to qualify as harassment, the behavior must:
- Violate someone’s dignity, or
- Create an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment.
If you’ve experienced this type of behavior, it’s important to take action.
Examples of Racial Harassment
Harassment is a serious offense—and can even be a crime. Below are examples of racial harassment in the workplace.
Harassment Directed at a Specific Person
Dominique, who is French, joins a new team at work. Two team members frequently mock Dominique’s accent and make offensive jokes about being French. Dominique feels embarrassed and humiliated by these comments.
When Dominique raises the issue with the manager, it’s brushed off as “just joking.” Feeling this response is inappropriate, Dominique decides to file a formal complaint.
Example of Harassment Not Directed at a Specific Person
At work, Danny’s colleagues often make racist remarks about Turkish people. Although the comments aren’t directed at Danny, they feel uncomfortable and believe the environment has become hostile.
Even though Danny is not Turkish, they can still make a harassment complaint due to the negative atmosphere created by these remarks.
When Harassment Becomes a Crime
Racial harassment can cross the line into criminal behavior, especially if it involves:
- Physical or verbal abuse
- Threats of violence
- Online abuse
- Damage to personal property
When Race Discrimination Is Subtle
Race discrimination isn’t always easy to spot and may go unnoticed by others. It can show up in ways that seem minor but still hurtful, such as:
- Stereotyping: Making assumptions about someone’s abilities or behavior based on their race.
- Microaggressions: Small comments or actions that, intentionally or not, can be offensive or inappropriate.
Examples of Stereotyping and Microaggressions
- Complimenting someone’s English because you didn’t expect them to speak it well based on their appearance.
- Saying someone’s name is “too hard to pronounce” which suggests it’s not worth the effort to learn and implies they don’t belong.
These subtle behaviors can still create a negative and unwelcoming environment.
How a Boston Racial Discrimination Lawyer Can Help
If you’ve faced unfair treatment, it’s important to recognize the signs of discrimination. There are many examples of racial discrimination at work, including stereotyping, microaggressions, and biased policies that negatively impact employees of certain races.
A Boston racial discrimination lawyer can guide you through the process of addressing these issues and standing up for your rights. Taking action against racial discrimination is not only about protecting yourself, but also about promoting fairness in the workplace.
At Duddy, Goodwin & Pollard, we are committed to holding corporations and employers accountable for discriminatory practices. Our team is here to support you and fight for the justice you deserve.
Call or text (860) 999-9394 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form