Workplace discrimination is against the law and workers who suffer it should be familiar with their rights and the legal protections available to them. Employment law provides valuable protections for workers who have suffered harm because of workplace discrimination.
Under federal law, employers with 15 or greater employees are prohibited from discriminating against an employee on the basis of race, national origin, gender or religion. Employers are prohibited from taking certain hiring and firing actions based on the race, national origin, gender or religion of the employee and if they fail to abide by the law, they may be liable according to a claim for workplace discrimination.
Employers are prohibited from refusing to hire an employee on the basis of their race, national origin, gender or religion; prohibited from disciplining an employee based on their race, national origin, gender or religion; prohibited from firing an employee based on their race, national origin, gender or religion; prohibited denying training to an employee on the basis of race, national origin, gender or religion; prohibited from failing to promote, paying less to or demoting an employee on the basis of race, national origin, gender or religion; and are prohibited from harassing an employing based on their race, national origin, gender or religion.
Employers are also prohibited from retaliating against an employee who has complained about illegal or discriminatory actions taken by the employer. There are a variety of different types of protections afforded to workers through employment laws that they should be familiar with and know how to assert when necessary to ensure a non-discriminatory workplace.