Workplace discrimination in our society

Workplace discrimination in our society

( By Neha Soni )

Everywhere we glance, we see differences in wealth, power, and status. Some groups have high status and greater privilege than others. This inequality within the system is what we call social stratification. In this unequal social system, there’s often unfair treatment directed against certain individuals or social groups. This is called discrimination. Discrimination can be based on—age, gender, weight, ethnicity, religion, or even politics. 

Types of discrimination in the workplace:-

• Age - This kind of discrimination occurs when employers make decisions based on age stereotypes or preference over merit. For example, if a sales company actively hires the youngest applicants, this is an example of age discrimination.

• Race - This kind of discrimination is done during the hiring of employees, company prefer their same race people or while allotting a work or during promotions, same-race people are preferred. 

• Nationality - Mostly it’s been said that we should not put our picture in our resume /CV because the company could be biased based on nationality. The idea behind this is the same nationality people have the same background, same country history so there might be high chances of understanding and tackling situations better. 

• Pregnancy - Pregnant women are generally considered a back holder when it comes to leadership and responsibilities. Seniors prefer other people on pregnant women because they think she won’t be able to handle tasks properly. 

• Religious - Employees fire or hire for maintaining their personal beliefs. They do not provide reasonable accommodations for religious garb, and also not grant time off for important religious holidays. 

• Gender/Sex - Sex discrimination occurs when individuals are treated differently based on their sexual or gender identity. Currently, laws are in place to protect workers against discrimination based on their sex, but some gender identities are not protected under these laws.

Key Laws and Regulations:-

There is no uniform, centralized law granting compensation to victims of discrimination or profiling in private enterprises. However, certain laws do exist to specifically address issues that might hamper the availability of employment opportunities or other employment issues. Some of these key legislations are:-

• The Equal Remuneration Act 1976 - It is aimed to prevent gender-based discrimination in the workplace.

• The Maternity Benefit Act 1961 -It aims to provide paid maternity leave to women employees and related aspects.

• The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 - It is very progressive legislation, establishing in unambiguous terms that there shall be no discrimination in Government employment against persons with disabilities.

• The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act 2013 - Sexual harassment is the most egregious form of discrimination against women. In recognition of this, The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013 (“PoSH Act”) empowers the Internal Complaints Committee to recommend a compensatory sum to be deducted from the wages of the perpetrator and provided to the victim

How to avoid workplace discrimination issues:-

While completely preventing discrimination can be a challenge, there are several steps your company can take to help minimize the risk of workplace discrimination.

• Employee Handbook - One important step you can take is to develop a transparent discrimination policy for your company, and include it in your Employee Handbook. This could be helpful whether you manage a small, medium, or large company. The policies should clearly define workplace

discrimination and explain the complaint process.

• Employee Training - Anti-discrimination training is another useful strategy to assist in reducing the danger of discrimination within the workplace. This training should include tips for identifying discrimination in the workplace, a way to avoid discrimination, and the way to handle discrimination claims.

• Work with an Attorney - Due to the complexities of the discrimination laws, employers must always see an attorney any time whenever a discrimination issue arises. An experienced attorney can assist you to take the correct steps immediately which will help to avoid further actions, which could have a detrimental effect on corporate.

Workplace discrimination should not be taken lightly, no matter how big or small your company is, because the repercussions can be severe. Even if you have had no current issues of discrimination in your workplace, it is important to be prepared before an issue arises.

Disclaimer:-

The opinions expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of Light de Literacy and LDL does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.