Rose1

AshtinRose
3/16/2015
English1010
Mrs.Layton

WorkplaceDiscrimination
TopicIntroduction
Gettingbyintodayssocietyrequireshardworkinnumerousareas,andhavingacareer
toearnalivingisthetokentodoso.However,areallworkplacesconsideredsafeenvironments
inwhichwecangotowithoutanyworries?Workplacediscriminationhasbeenarisingproblem
foryears,causingmanypeopletobedeniedofjobsbecauseofcertaincharacteristics,alongwith
aggressiveintimidationtowardanumberofindividualsintheoffice.Varioustypesofinjustice
canbelookedinto,andunderstandingthesignificanceoftherightsthatemployeesholdin
todayssocietyisveryimportant.

Employeediscriminationhasbeendatedbacktobeforetheturnofthecentury.Overthe
manyyears,thegovernmenthasbeenworkingtowarddifferentmeasuresandclausestohelp
bringastoptotheunfairness,andprotectAmericancitizensrights.TheCivilRightsAct1964
wasputintoeffect,pushingfortheprohibitionofunequalemploymentopportunities.Theact
states,ToconferjurisdictionuponthedistrictcourtsoftheUnitedStatestoprovideinjunctive
reliefagainstdiscriminationinpublicaccommodations,toauthorizetheAttorneyGeneralto
institutesuitstoprotectconstitutionalrightsinpublicfacilitiesandpubliceducation,(Civil
RightsTitleVII).Bythis,theactpromisesequalityintheworkplaceandofferstheideaof

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stoppingtheabilityforemployerstodiscriminatewhendealingwithhiring,pay,andfiringbased
onrace,color,sex,religion,andnationalorigin.TheactalsobroughtforththeEqual
EmploymentOpportunityCommission,(EEOC),whichemployeescangotoiftheyfeelthat
theyarebeingtreatedunlawfullyintheoffice,andtheEEOCwilltakealookintothesituation.
Accordingly,therearevarioustypesofdiscriminationthatmanycitizensfaceinthe
workforceinvolvingdisability,nationalorigin,race,religion,sex,sexualorientation,andeven
age.Discriminatinganindividualinvolvestreatingsomeonelessfavorably,particularlybasedon
anyoftheseareas.BecauseoftheEqualOpportunityactof2010,employeesareprotectedfrom
beingdiscriminatedinallstagesoftheemploymentprocess.Ithasbeenmadeagainstthelawto
directlyorindirectlydiscriminate,victimise,orsexuallyharassanotherindividual.Thereare
certaincircumstancesinwhichdiscriminationisnotagainstthelaw.TheVictorianEqual
OpportunityandHumanRightsCommissionexplains,
Whilethe
EqualOpportunityAct2010
makesitagainstthelawtodiscriminateagainstsomeonebecauseofspecificpersonal
characteristicsprotectedbythelaw,italsorecognisesthatdiscriminationmaybejustifiedin
certaincircumstances(HumanRights).Thisstatementintroducesthefactthatitisverypossible
toholdadefenseagainstbeingadiscriminatorinspecialcases.
ItmustberememberedthatasemployeesandcitizensoftheUnitedStates,weallhave
ourrightsagainstdiscrimination.Asmentionedinpreviousparagraphs,thelawsmadeinvolving
discriminationintheworkplaceareputinplacetohelpprotectemployeesknowandtake
advantageoftheirlegalrights,whilelookingtoputastoptodiscriminationasawhole.
However,inthenumberofcaseswhereanypersonisbeingtreatedunfairly,theyareabletotake
astandagainstthediscriminator.TheEqualEmploymentOpportunityCommission,as

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mentionedprior,haspowertoenforceanumberofactsputinplacebythegovernment.For
example,theLegalInformationInstitutebroughtforthbyCornellUniversityexplains,
The
EEOC
interpretsandenforcestheEqualPaymentAct,
AgeDiscriminationinEmploymentAct
,
TitleVII,
AmericanswithDisabilitiesAct
,andsectionsoftheRehabilitationAct(LII).
Notably,thisdescribestheabilitiesoftheEEOC,andinwhatareastheyareabletotakeaction.
Manyactsofdiscriminationarenotaccountedfor,however,theEEOCdealswithabout80,000
casesayear.KellyDwyerwritesinherarticle,TakingActionAgainstDiscrimination,
As
soonasdiscriminationbegins,aworkershouldrecorddiscriminatorywordsandbehaviors,and
anywitnesses.Employmentlawyersdifferonwhetherworkersshouldfirsttaketheproblemto
theirhumanresourcesdepartments(Dwyer).Bythis,theauthorbringsforthwaystogoabout
theproblem.Shealsoexplainsthedifferentwaysthatemployeescanandshouldfileclaims
againsttheiremployer.Thereisadiversenumberoffederallawsthatdealsolelywith
discriminationintheworkplace,andplentyofopportunitiestodealwithitiftheproblemassuch
everarises.
Allthingsconsidered,discriminationintheworkplaceisnothingtobetakenlightly.This
particularissuehasbeenarisingfordecades,causingvariousproblemsbetweenemployers,
employeesandalsocoworkers.Itisimportantforallworkerstoknowandunderstandtheideas
anddepthsoftheinformationaboutdiscriminationintheworkplace,tohelpothersknowwhen
andiftheyarebeingpersonallyvictimised.Anotherareaofimportanceistoshowemployees
theirrightsandhowtotakeactionagainstanyunfairnessintheoffice.Therearenumeroustypes
ofdiscriminationandeachtypeshouldneverbeignored.

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MajorDebatesandCommentary
Ashumanbeings,mostofushavebeenthroughatypeofdiscriminationatsomepointinour
lives.Beingtreatedunfairlyisextremelyhardtodealwithingeneral,however,itisevenmore
sodealingwithitinaplaceinwhichyoureobligatedtoattendeverydayyourjob.Workplace
discriminationisaproblemthathasbeenontherisefordecadesandinsomecases,causesa
persontogojobless.Whenwetakeadeeperlookintotheideaofdiscriminationinthe
workplace,wecanfindanumberofreasonsforthebullyingtotakeplace.Therearevarious
argumentsonthistopicwhichdebatewhetherindividualsshouldbeallowedtowork,these
includediscriminationagainstwomen,race,andhomosexuals.Everyonehasrights,but
discriminationisstillarisingproblemthatbringsforthvariousissuesbetweenemployeesand
employers.
Eversincethebeginningoftime,womenhavebeenfightingforequalityrights,andto
findaplaceintheworld.Awiderangeofwomenneedtobeabletoworktosupportfamilies,
consideringtheideaofsinglemothersandwidows.However,theequalitytroublesthatwomen
havefacedintheworkplacehaventdieddown.Plentyofwomenhavelosttheirjobsandhave
beenunabletoworkduetoproblemstiedinwithdiscriminationatwork.TheHarvardBusiness
ReviewStaffgivesdetailsintheirarticle,WomenintheWorkplace:AResearchRoundup,
aboutwhysomanywomenhavelefttheirjobs.AstudyconductedbyPamelaStonefoundthat
outof54women,Fully90%leftnottocarefortheirfamiliesbutbecauseofworkplace
problems,chieflyfrustrationandlonghours(HarvardBusinessReviewStaff).Bythis,the
authorisexplainingthateventhoughitseemslikewomenwithahighamountofpotentialleave

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theirjobsfortheirfamilies,thatsnotusuallythecase.Therearemorewomenintheworkforce
thatfaceproblemswithdiscriminationthantheworldtypicallythought.
Evenafterthenumerousyearsofwomenfightingfortheirrightsintheworkplace,many
people,meninparticular,believethatwomenaremeanttobestayathomemotherssolely
workinginsidethehometobecaretakers.Womentakeup40%oftheworkforce,butmostof
employerswhorejectwomenforcareershavereasons.ThePrimeMinisterofMoroccobacksup
histhoughtsthatmanypeopleagreewith.Hecomparedwomentochandeliers,saying,When
womenwenttoworkoutside,thelightwentoutoftheirhomes(Eskow).Bythis,thePrime
Ministerisexplainingthatwomenarethelightofthehome,theytakecareofwhatmensimply
donthavethenaturalabilitytodo.Whenwomentakejobsoutsideofthehome,theyarenot
onlyfacedwiththestressofworkattheirjobs,butalsoanextremeamountofworktodealwith
athome.Numerouspeopleagreewiththesefacts,arguingthatwomenshouldstayathomeand
becaretakers,andthatiswhattheyaremeantfor.
Similarly,racialdiscriminationhasbeenaproblemintheUnitedStatesforcenturies.
Eventhoughdifferentracesarebeginningtobemoreandmoresociallyaccepted,thereisalways
achanceofunacceptance,especiallyintheworkplace.Discriminationatworkduetoraceor
ethnicitycanevenbeaproblemwhenapersonismarriedorassociatedwithapersonofa
differentrace.DanaPagerandHanaShepherdwriteintheirarticleaboutnumerousexperiments
whichhavestudiedtheamountofdiscriminationwhenconsideringanindividualforhiring.
Accordingtotheauthors,studiesshowthatWhenapplicantswereeitherhighlyqualifiedor
poorlyqualifiedfortheposition,therewasnoevidenceofdiscrimination.Whenapplicantshad
acceptablebutambiguousqualifications,however,participantswerenearly70%morelikelyto

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recommendthewhiteapplicantthantheblackapplicant(PagerandShepherd).Shownbythe
studiesconducted,manypeopleareunabletofindjobsandareforcedtogojoblessbecauseof
theirraceorethnicity.
Theprejudiceactsofemployersintodayssocietyisseemedtobestemmedfromthe
precivilrightsact.BeforetheCivilRightsActof1964,therewasntmuchtalkabouthow
traumatizingracialdiscriminationcanbe,andmanypeopleweremuchmoreprejudicetoward
thoseofdifferentethnicitiesandraces.Manypeoplehavebeenraisedtobelieveacertainway,
especiallywhenitcomestothoseofdifferentethnicity.Thereasonforracistcompaniesis
unknown,howeveritdoesstillexist.Thebeliefsoftheemployerandownersofacompanymean
everythingtheycanmakeorbreakthecompany,andracialandethnicdiscriminationissolely
uptothem.
Notonlydowomenandthoseofdifferentethnicityfacediscriminationatwork,butgay
andtransgenderindividualsalsofacethesameharshreality.Eventhoughtheideaof
homosexualityinthesocialworldisimproving,ahighnumberofveryhardworkingand
competentpeoplearemistreatedandsometimesevenfiredanddeniedjobsbecauseoftheir
sexualorientation.Thisproblemhascausedturnoverratestoskyrocket,alongwiththe
unemploymentrateofgayandtransgenderpeoplegrowingbytheminute.TheWilliamsInstitute
onSexualOrientationLawandPublicPolicybroughtforthanumberofsurveystostudythe
amountofdiscriminationintheworkplace.Studiesprovedthatbetweenfifteenandfortythree
percentofgayshavefaceddiscriminationatworkinsomeform.However,studiesalsoshowed
thetransgenderindividualsfaceeventoughertimes.TheauthorsofthearticleGayand
TransgenderPeopleFaceHighRatesofWorkplaceDiscriminationandHarassment,state

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simplythat,Earlierthisyear,theNationalCenterforTransgenderEqualityandtheNational
GayandLesbianTaskForcereleasedacomprehensivestudyontransgenderdiscriminationthat
revealednearuniversalproblemsattheworkplace:ninetypercentoftransgenderindividuals
haveencounteredsomeformofharassmentormistreatmentonthejob(BurnsandKrehely).In
otherwords,whilethesepeopledontnecessarilyhaveachoiceontheirsexuality,gaysand
transgendersofthisdayandagefaceveryuglyandhardtimesatworkwhilemanyofthemhave
beenfiredandunabletoholdajobbecauseofwhotheyare.
IncontrastwiththeHumanRightsCampaign,thereisasurprisingnumberofemployers
whoarereluctanttohiregaysandtransgenders,anddonotincludesexualorientationintheir
equalemploymentopportunitypolicies.FrankHaglarwritesaboutthefewcorporatecompanies
thatareagainstthelesbian,gay,bisexualandtransgendercommunityinhisarticle,
5
CompaniesJustAsAntiGayAstheBoyScoutsOfAmerica.
Forexample,Haglardescribes
oneofthefewFortune500companieswhichisparticularlyantigay,Exxon/Mobil.Theauthor
states,
ExxonMobilistheonlyU.S.employerthathasever
rescinded
bothanondiscrimination
policycoveringsexualorientationanddomesticpartnerbenefits,andistheonlyFortune10
companythatdoesnothaveanondiscriminationpolicycoveringsexualorientation(Haglar).
ButwhyexactlywouldacompanysolargeandwellknownbeaversetotheLGBTcommunity?
Thereareafewpossiblereasons.EmployerslikeExxon/Mobilbelievethattherecanbeabroad
amountofproblemsthatmayrisebetweenemployeesespeciallysuchasoffensetakenbyoneor
another.Employersmaybetryingtosavehurtfeelingsandchaosbetweencoworkerswiththeir
attempttokeepgaysandtransgendersfromworkingattheircompanies.
Ultimately,therearevarioustypesofdiscriminationintheworkplace,andmanypeople

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areforcedtogojoblessduetocharacteristicsaboutthemselvesthatcantbechanged.Itis
inevitablethattherewillalwaysbeproblemswhenitcomestojudgementanddiscrimination,but
allcitizenshaverights,andtherearelawstoprotectthosewhohavetodealwiththeseissues
everyday.Theequalemploymentopportunitycommisiondealswithcasesofdiscriminationin
theworkplaceeachday,andtheyhavetheabilitiestohelpfindjusticefortheunfairnessofthe
judgementsandharassment.Inherarticle,
TakingActionAgainstDiscrimination,Kelly
Dwyerexplains
thatemployeesshouldtakeadvantageoftheirrightswheneverneeded.She
states,Assoonasdiscriminationbegins,aworkershouldrecorddiscriminatorywordsand
behaviors,andanywitnesses(Dwyer).Dwyergivesideasandhelptoanyemployeewhomay
needhelpwithanyproblemsofdiscrimination.TheUnitedStatesisobligatedtomakesurethat
allemployeesarebasedonlyontheirskillsandqualityoftheirworktomakesurethateveryone
feelsequalandfree.
AreasofFurtherInquiry
Fordecades,ourcountryhasbeenfacedwiththeproblemofdiscriminationintheworkplace.
Overthemanyyearsthatthishasbeenanissueforindividualsstrugglingtofindcareersand
supporttheirfamilies,therehavebeenmanypeoplestandingbyandholdingtheirhandsinthe
process.Numerouslawshavebeenenforcedinconsiderationofanyonewhohasbeen
discriminatedorharassedintheworkplace.However,whatarethedeeperissuesregardingthe
ideaofharassmentanddiscrimination,thatsocietyisntmindfulenoughof?Menandwomenall
overthecountryarestillstrugglingwiththeseproblemseverydayatwork.Doeslaw
enforcementactuallyimprovetheconditionsoftheworkplacewhenitcomestodiscrimination

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againsteverydayindividualslikeourselves?Acoupleofscholarsandsociologistsexplain
otherwise.
Oneofthebiggestproblemsintheareaofworkplacediscriminationintheworldtodayis
sexsegregation.Womenalloverthecountryhavebeenstrugglingtofindcareersandtheability
tosupportthemselvesandfamiliesbecauseoftheperceptionofwomenandtheirinabilityto
workaswellasmendo.Allwomenfacetheissuesofinequality,however,blackwomenhave
eventoughercircumstances.Alongwiththeproblemofinequality,coloredwomenalsodeal
withthehardshipofracialdiversity.CamilleHalldescribeshowblackwomenfacetheseissues
andcopewiththemonaregularbasisinherarticle,BlackWomenTalkAboutWorkplace
StressandHowTheyCope.Theauthorexplainsthattherearefivethemesdealingwithracism
andsexism,(1)beinghiredorpromotedintheworkplace,(2)defendingonesraceandlackof
mentorship,(3)shiftingorcodeswitchingtoovercomebarrierstoemployment,(4)copingwith
racismanddiscrimination,and(5)beingisolatedand/orexcluded(Hall).Bythis,Hallis
explainingthatitisextremelydifficultforAfricanAmericanwomentoexistintheworkplace,
andintodayssociety,thatshouldntbeasbigofaproblemasitis.
TheEqualEmploymentOpportunityCommission,(EEOC),hasmadesignificantchanges
inemploymentwhenitcomestodiscrimination.TheactwascreatedbyTitleVIIoftheCivil
RightsActof1964,anditwasputinplacetoprotectindividualsfromfeelingspersonally
victimisedintheworkplace.TheEEOChasbroughtforthavarietyofdifferentlawspertaining
tothetopic,andhasbroughtforththeideaofhowseriousdiscriminationcanbe.Evenwiththe
EEOlawsinplace,itisstilluncertainhoweffectivetheenforcementofthemhasbeen.Elizabeth
HirschfromCornellUniversityexplainsintheabstractofherarticleabouthowshehasstudied

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thechargesagainstworkplacesandiftheyhavehelpedtoimprovetheworkingconditionsfor
individuals.Hirschstates,
TotheextentthatEEOenforcementencouragesorganizational
change,itdoessoindirectly,operatingthroughestablishments'industrialandlegal
environments(Hirsch).Bythis,theauthorisexplainingthattheEEOisworkingtoprevent
discrimination,yettheyarentdoingsoinsuchawaythatitwillonedayeliminatetheideaand
improveallworkplacespermanently.Lawenforcementsmaynotbeputtinginasmucheffortas
neededtoendthediscriminationthatishappeningeveryday.
Insummation,therehasbeenasignificantamountofactiontakentopushthestopof
discrimination,butontheotherhand,theworkputintostoppingtheproblemmightbe
misplaced.ManypeoplebelievethatthelawsputinplacebytheEEOCaremoreinfluentialthan
actuallyeffective.Thereistalkabouthowdiscriminationmaybeabletobeendediflaw
enforcementwouldlookatthisproblemasaseriousmatter,andmakemoreofanimpactwhen
takingaction.

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Burns,Crosby,andJeffKrehely."GayandTransgenderPeopleFaceHighRatesofWorkplace
DiscriminationandHarassment."
CenterforAmericanProgress
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rightsintheworkplace
>.

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Haglar,Frank."5CompaniesJustAsAntiGayAstheBoyScoutsOfAmerica."
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