5 Facts About Workplace Discrimination from an Experienced Workplace Discrimination Attorney
Written by Cooper & Friedman PLLC on January 28, 2019
Workplace discrimination, according to the Human Rights Commission, is defined as “treating, or proposing to treat, someone unfavourably because of a personal characteristic protected by law.” There are many kinds of discrimination that can occur in the workplace, as well. From ageism to racism, sexism to disability discrimination, it comes in all sorts of form. When that is the case in regards to something very serious, it is important to know the facts. And there is no better person to get facts on workplace discrimination from than an experienced workplace discrimination attorney.
5 Facts You Should Know About Workplace Discrimination
According to An Experienced Workplace Discrimination Attorney
1. There are Multiple Forms
As previously stated, there are many forms that workplace discrimination can take. The highest cause of workplace discrimination is employer retaliation (48.8%) with race coming in second (33.9%) and disability at a close third (31.9%). Other forms of workplace discrimination include ageism, sexism, discrimination based on race or skin color, gender discrimination, and more.
2. Women are More Likely To Be Discriminated Against
In the United States, 42% of women have reported facing discrimination in the workplace. From earning less than men to not being given the same opportunities, to personal experiences, workplace discrimination is affecting women more than men. In fact, according to a study by Pew Research, only 20% of men from a sample pool of 4,914 adults reported workplace discrimination. Those aren’t the only statistics within the report with staggering gaps.
3. Workplace Discrimination Laws Vary from State to State
The laws addressing workplace discrimination are different depending on the state you live in. Be sure to know the laws specific to your state because many states have laws that go beyond federal protection. There are a lot of great resources out there for those who want to learn more about employment-related discrimination laws by state. See what kind of discrimination is prohibited state-to-state and what kind of damages can be sought in the case of workplace discrimination.
4. Age Discrimination Has Jumped in 20 Years
Today, age discrimination is becoming more and more prevalent. In 1997, only 19.6% of all workplace discrimination claims were related to age. Thirteen years later, in 2010, the percentage jumped almost 4% to 23.3%. This could be because of the rising number of technology-rooted jobs or because of the increasing number of people over the age of 50 in the United States. Regardless, age discrimination is more common than ever before and slated to continue to increase.
5. Workplace Retaliation is Not Often Alone
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) reported in 2003 that “75% of employees who spoke out against workplace mistreatment faced some form of retaliation.” This is a major reason that workplace discrimination is often put up with and not spoken about. It is also a contributing factor to why workplace retaliation is the most common form of workplace discrimination. Fear of losing one’s job, not being considered for a promotion, or falling behind in a field are factors that often affect those who should speak up about workplace discrimination. This is especially true in cases of sexual harassment which are defined separately from workplace discrimination.
When looking for a workplace discrimination attorney, it is important to find the right lawyer for you. How much experience do they have? Have they worked on similar cases before? These are all questions you should ask a potential workplace discrimination attorney prior to hiring one. A workplace discrimination attorney can help you understand your workplace discrimination case and do everything possible to win it.
At Cooper and Friedman, Attorneys at Law, we have over 45 years of combined experience with workplace discrimination. We’re here to deliver the facts about discrimination in the workplace. If you fear that you have been a victim of workplace discrimination, contact us today by calling 502-459-7555 or visiting our Contact Us page. We are proud to have collected millions of dollars for people like you who live in Kentucky and portions of Southern Indiana.