According to the Charge Statistics from the
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), a total of 93,727 claims of
discrimination were filed all over the country during fiscal year 2013. The
figure, while significantly lower than the one from the previous fiscal year,
only demonstrates how workplace discrimination is still rampant across private
and public employment in the United States. This is despite the federal and
state laws and statutes that are currently enforced to stop it from happening,
such as the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
So why is discrimination in the workplace
rampant in the first place? There are a lot of reasons, and they are listed
down below:
- Failure of a company or employer to implement programs that would train all employees about its existing anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies and procedures.
An employer or company’s non-tolerance to discrimination
or harassment is demonstrated through its strong policies and procedures that
allow management and employees to work together to solve such issues. On one hand,
employees are encouraged to file their complaints whenever they are subjected
to discriminatory or harassing actions. On the other hand, company management
that put into effect such policies must be able to address the employees’
complaints, strictly following a process of investigation that hinges on
confidentiality and executing the most necessary disciplinary action.
However, the lack of mandatory training
programs that are supposed to help all employees understand that discrimination
or harassment is not tolerated in the company or workplace is the reason why
these issues are rampant. It would have helped if such programs encapsulate a
preventive approach on such issues and emphasize professionalism within the
workplace, but if there is no definite training program that exists,
discriminatory and harassing behavior would surely reign supreme.
- Fear.
This emotion means a whole lot when discussing discrimination. In fact, this emotion is the reason why harassing and discriminatory behavior continue to persist in the workplace. Employees who are victims of such actions are still encouraged to file their complaints, but they refuse to do so out of fear of getting terminated or retaliated against by their bosses, supervisors, or managers. With fear of reporting such behavior, no paper trail is left behind to start off the investigation and eventually punish the perpetrators. The behaviors worsen with no chance of stopping it; all because of fear.
- Differences
between the young and old in the workplace.
A mishmash of young and old in the workplace is as diverse as it can get, wherein different ideas can make for innovative business ideas. But then again, the clashing of generations may sometimes turn out to bring more bad than good. With differences in perspectives and worldviews, the younger generation may have prejudice against the other, and vice versa.
Even with these unsettling reasons as to why
discrimination or harassment continuously occurs in the workplace, employees
must always be aware that there are laws on the federal and state levels that
protect them from being on the receiving end of unfair bias and treatment.
Meanwhile, if you have been discriminated on account of your race, sex,
disability, or any other protected characteristic, then it is imperative that
you exercise your rights as soon as possible by speaking with a Los Angeles
employment lawyer.
