Race And National Discrimination In The Work Place: A Few Faqs
No one deserves to be discriminated against due to their ethnicity or national origin, especially in one's place of employment. Luckily, the federal legal system has certain policies that prevent employers from discriminating against you due to these factors, and those who do not comply with these policies can be punished. You may have a few questions about discrimination in the work place, this brief guide will aim to answer just a few of them. If you believe that you are being discriminated against in your place of employment due to your race or national origin, it is highly recommended that you speak to a local and trusted attorney who specializes in discrimination law.
Can An Employer End Harassment By Third Parties?
In a roundabout way, yes. In fact, your employer has a legal obligation to curb such behavior. While your employer has no way of directly reprimanding any customers or vendors that the business you work for has to deal with, they can make provisions towards ensuring that an individual is reprimanded. A customer can be disallowed from a place of business if he or she has been shown to be racially insensitive to employees, while an employer has an obligation to contact the employer of a vendor if that person has shown him- or herself to be racist.
Is Making Work Assignments Based On Race Discrimination?
Yes, it is, and yes, it is illegal. This process, known as "steering" often times occurs in the field of sales, where, for example, African American representatives are often sent to do business in areas with a large African American population. Any race-based assignments are considered discriminatory and are not in compliance with the letter of the law. This can engender harmful stereotypes and places power in the hands of an out of touch employer who believes that he or she knows what is best for his or her company. Sadly, what he or she knows best is a series of outdated racial relations.
Can "Jokes" Be Considered Harassment?
When a "joke" is told wherein a racial stereotype is perpetuated or race is used as punchline, this is considered a form of harassment and is also illegal. Sometimes, sadly, the onus of the joke telling activity may fall upon the victim of the joke. It is imperative that you tell the person perpetuating the joke that you find the jokes unfunny, insensitive, and potentially racist, so that person will have a difficult time arguing that you were somehow "in" on the joke. Contact a business, such as Law Office of Faye Riva Cohen, P.C., for more information.