Have you faced discrimination at work? Here are 6 things you can do
Photo by Tim Gouw on Unsplash
You should know your rights when it comes to workplace discrimination. You may be experiencing discrimination at work, but there are some things you can do about it. You can’t sit quietly and let injustice happen. Here’s what you can do when faced with discriminatory practices in the office environment.
1. Get an attorney
If you believe that you have been the victim of discrimination at work, it’s important to get an attorney. Discrimination can mean a lot of things. It can be based on your age, race, gender, or disability status in the workplace. If you’re in Queensland, you can contact employment lawyers based in Gold Coast who can help you establish a case. Getting legal representation can ensure that you’re in a good position to file a complaint. Also, you will have someone to back you up in case your employer tries to dissuade you from filing a complaint.
2. Be aware of your rights
You may not know that there are laws that protect against discriminatory practices at work, but they exist. Discrimination laws were created to protect employees who are discriminated against based on age, race, gender, and disability status. If you know your rights, it will make filing a complaint against an employer much easier. In this case, ignorance is not bliss because the lack of knowledge won’t protect you from being disrespected at work. Your rights include anti-discrimination laws that protect against the following: age discrimination, race and national origin discrimination, color and religious discrimination, genetic information discrimination, disability, and handicapped discrimination, sex and gender discrimination.
3. File a claim
If you discover that you are being discriminated against by a company or individual in the workforce then it is time to file a claim with the appropriate government agency such as SESCO (Special Employment and Compensation Office). The agency will look into your case and take legal action if deemed necessary. You should know that filing a claim for discrimination does not stop any pending lawsuits related to your previous employer so it is best to go ahead and file any claims without delay. Also, you may need to provide the agency with a list of witnesses who could help support your claim.
4. Get organized
File all documents related to discrimination and harassment in one place. This is very important because it will make searching for information much easier. Some documents that you should include are time and attendance records, sexual and racial discrimination complaints, reprimands, and performance appraisals. The documents should be properly organized so you can give them to your attorney or agency representative.
5. Keep a journal
It’s always good to have a journal with everything that has happened during the day at work. However, it is especially important when dealing with discrimination at work. Write down what happens even if it may not seem important. If you have a bad experience with a coworker then write it down and include the date of the incident. You will also want to keep track of anything that may have been discussed during a meeting or any complaints filed with human resources. This is helpful because it will provide you with a paper trail in case your employer retaliates against you for filing a complaint.
6. Stay informed
Photo by Afif Kusuma on Unsplash
Staying informed can help you identify the best way to resolve your situation. Many websites can provide useful information on filing claims against employers for discrimination and how you should expect the process to go. You may find out that filing a claim won’t be as easy as you think but it will still benefit you to remain updated on new developments. There’s no reason why you should allow yourself to be discriminated against.
Know your rights and take action immediately if you feel that you have been the victim of workplace discrimination. What you should be aware of is that all forms of discrimination should stop when you confront your employer. If this doesn’t end, then it is time to hire an attorney and file a formal claim against the company for discriminating against you.
Workplace discrimination is serious. The last thing you want to do is allow the situation to escalate into something bigger. If your human resources department does not take corrective action then it’s time to take matters into your own hands. There are laws in place to protect against workplace discrimination, so do not allow yourself to be discriminated against nor let it escalate any longer. You should not have to tolerate an environment that’s not conducive to your ability to do your job. So take action today and be protected under the law.
