Paper Example on Discrimination at the Workplace

Introduction

For many employees, having someone in the management with which the discrimination can be discussed in good enough (Reid, 2012). The person in the management can be a boss or senior employee such as a human resource manager. In some situations, the problem is easily discussed and solved at this level within the internal structure of the organization, and both parties are satisfied with the outcome. The senior management employee can decide on the appropriate punishment to enforce in such a case. The responsible employee can there face termination of employment, demotion or a transfer away from the organization to another branch or another department. Alternatively, the solution can be in the form of training employees to be sensitive to issues and people as well as offering counseling lessons to both parties involved.

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Formal Complaint to EEOC

It is the mandate of EEOC to deal with all disputes relating to discrimination at the place of work based on sex, race, age, color, ethnicity, religion, disability, ancestry, the nation of origin as well as retaliatory attack by those reported for misconduct (Reid, 2012). Filing a complaint to EEOC can be done by email, making a call or even walking to their offices in person. By law, any victim of discrimination must report the issue to EEOC or its equivalent within three hundred days after the incidence, before considering a lawsuit. In states without EEOC equivalent, however, the victim is given one hundred and eighty days to lay a claim. After the EEOC has reached a decision, the victim is presented with the verdict and can decide whether to stop there or seek legal redress in courts of law through the federal government. The EEOC, therefore, would have finished with its part paving the way for federal lawsuits. EEOC can, however, be far from the location of the victim and thus consumes time and resources (Ghumman etal., 2013).

Report to State Labor

Most states have formulated their laws that govern the conduct of employees among themselves and with their employers, which are either complementary to those forwarded by the federal government. Also, these laws can be more robust as compared to federal laws (Belle et al., 2014). However, if these state laws go against federal laws, then the state laws are considered null and void. Each person with a discrimination complaint must first report to the state labor offices before proceeding with the rest. Claims file is made after the individual reports the allegations to the state labor offices. State law departments have resources to follow up the case and ensure justice. The disadvantage is that the case takes more time than when solved internally (Dipboye & Colella, 2013).

Lawsuit

If all the above steps are unsatisfactory to the worker or are dismissed, then a discrimination victim can move to the state or federal law courts (Reid, 2012). The choice of the court to file the grievances depends on the weight of evidence the victim has and the facts of the suit. However, it should be realized at this time that the financial burden would be higher for both parties and have longer timelines. In spite of all that a successful victim is entitles to compensation of damages and lost earnings. This solution is time wasting and highly expensive in comparison with other methods (Ghumman etal., 2013). However, if successful the victim can earn compensation cash and also courts have the advantage of being more thorough.

The best solution for discrimination cases would be an internal method where the victim and the accused both take their issues to the person in charge of guidance. This way the integrity and good name of the organization can be maintained. Also, the relationship between employees would improve as compared to court cases and tribunals which are resource depleting and time-consuming.

Recommended HR Policy

Discrimination at the workplace can significantly demoralize employees and negatively affect their rate of output. It can also lead to increased employee turnover and more conflicts between the employees. There is, therefore, a need to formulate and implement a firm policy to counter discrimination and find a lasting solution (Williams, 2013).

Antidiscrimination Policy

The organization should educate its employees on the issue of discrimination and what constitutes discrimination (Jefferson, 2017). There should be a clear definition of what exactly workplace discrimination consists of, and how to avoid the vice. There should be a policy that guides employees on behaviors that are disapproved and clearly state what the repercussions would be if an employee goes against the policies. The company should also ensure employees that no retaliation will be directed their way for reporting discrimination to authorities (Williams, 2013).

Another way to terminate discrimination at the workplace is holding regular training of the employees encompassing different levels (Reid, 2012). They should be made aware of the state and federal laws governing discrimination at work and what responsibility is given to the organization in dealing with discrimination. They must be made aware that the organization will suffer negatively if it neglects to act against discrimination. The training should be formulated in such a way that employees can easily ask questions for clarification of issues so that in-depth concerns can be laid bare and addressed (Williams, 2013). This can, for instance, be encouraged by using role-playing, question and answer session, and discussion sessions. The HR department also needs to analyze the employees' diversity and redistribute them in a way that all the organizations and levels are represented adequately. The employees should be encouraged to work together on special projects that will encompass special groups vulnerable to discrimination (Ghumman etal., 2013).

If these policies are faithfully applied in the organization, they will bring about a dynamic change in the way the employees treat each other (Belle et al., 2014). With more cohesion at the workplace, there is bound to be a healthy working environment in which all members feel respected and valued. In such an environment, it is possible that the output of the individuals will be higher and thus the company objectives will easily be met. Employees who are aware of the various types of discrimination will try to be friendly to each other and solve their differences amicably without having to seek outside help (Williams, 2013).

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is clear that the widespread discrimination that many people claim to have suffered at one time or another at the workplace can easily be stopped. The human resource department needs to analyze the employees in the organization and identify the disparities that may give a perception of discrimination, and remedy it even as they aggressively educate their stuff on best practices.

References

Belle, E., Carreri, A., Miele, F., & Murgia, A. (2014). Vulnerability at work:(Un) Safety culture in temporary jobs. Journal of Workplace Rights, 17(2), 153-174.

Dipboye, R. L., & Colella, A. (Eds.). (2013). Discrimination at work: The psychological and organizational bases. Psychology Press.

Ghumman, S., Ryan, A. M., Barclay, L. A., & Markel, K. S. (2013). Religious discrimination in the workplace: A review and examination of current and future trends. Journal of Business and Psychology, 28(4), 439-454.

Jefferson, Michael. (2017)". Discrimination at work, prohibited conduct, and enforcement." Law Trove.

Reid, Stephanie. (2012). "Solutions to Discrimination in the Workplace." Work - Chron.com,work.chron.com/solutions-discrimination-workplace-11040.html.

Williams, Ellie. (2013)"Ways to Counteract Discrimination in the Workplace." Work - Chron.com,work.chron.com/ways-counteract-discrimination-workplace-11724.html.