Top 9 Types of Workplace Discrimination

Work place discrimination occurs when an individual or a group of persons are deliberately disfavored and treated differently based on their race, religion, gender, national origin, age or even sexual orientation. Work discrimination is prohibited by the federal and state laws. For example, the age discrimination in employment act of 1967 (ADEA) protects applicants and employees from discrimination based on their age. The civil rights Act of 1964 bans race-based discrimination, as well as sex, religion or national origin. Below are some of the types of work place discrimination;

9. Age Discrimination

You can be treated less favorably when applying for a job because of your age. Most companies prefer youths because they are young and energetic and can work hard for long hours. The Age Discrimination Act of 1967 outlaws discrimination of employees who are above the age of 40, adding age discrimination as the one of the 9 types of workplace discrimination. 

8. Religious Discrimination

If you are deliberately denied a job despite qualifying because of the religion you ascribe to you will want to seek advice and guidance from qualified religious freedom lawyers in your area. You could also be treated differently in your workplace because of your religious beliefs and practices. This puts religious discrimination on the list of the top types of workplace discrimination.

7. Pregnancy discrimination

You can be discriminated at your work place by your employer because of your pregnancy. The employer may refuse to grant you a maternity leave or give you the options of choosing your job or your pregnancy. According to the pregnancy discrimination Act of 1978, pregnancy must be deemed as a normal, objectifiable condition, which is why pregnancy discrimination ranks on the list of different types of workplace discrimination.

6. Gender discrimination

This is unequal treatment of persons based on their gender or sex. You can be treated in a way different from colleagues of the opposite gender in a manner that violates the terms and conditions of the employment .For example, you can be earning a smaller wage compared to your colleagues despite you being at the same level of qualifications because of your sex, which is why we have gender discrimination ranked in our list of the top nine types of workplace discrimination.

5. National origin discrimination

You can be discriminated at the work place because of being an immigrant. For example, an immigrant with equal qualifications as other employees can be denied a promotion or get a smaller wage because of his or her country of origin, ranking national origin discrimination among the worst types of workplace discrimination happening in the nation today.

4. Sexual Harassment

You can be sexually harassed at your work place by colleagues of the opposite gender. You may not be interested in them but they make advances towards you. They touch you inappropriately without your permission. This is a form of discrimination that affects most young women.

3. Sexual Orientation discrimination

You can be discriminated because of your sexual identity in relation to the gender to which you are attracted. Employers can turn down your application because of revealing that you are bisexual. You can also be deliberately laid off when the company is conducting retrenchment because of sexual identity, which is why we have sexual orientation discrimination as one of the worst types of workplace discrimination.

2. Disability discrimination

Ranking near the top of the list of types of workplace discrimination is disability discrimination. Disabled persons can denied employment in different sectors of the economy because of their disabilities. Employers may also lay off employees who have acquired disabilities during their careers. Americans with disabilities act of 1990 prohibits discrimination of disabled persons by employers in any way.

1. Racial Discrimination

One of the worst types of workplace discrimination is racial discrimination.  You may be treated differently at your work place by your colleagues and employer because of your race. The employer may disfavor you when issuing promotions. You may be denied compensations and benefits because of your race.

The employers who discriminate should face financial liability and the employees subjected to discrimination in the work place are entitled to seek financial compensation for the harm that their employers cause.  To learn more about discrimination law read and follow our blog for new content published daily.