Unfortunately, there are times when employees in Minnesota and elsewhere feel mistreated or discriminated against in the workplace. While it can be an uncomfortable and emotional situation, employees should understand that specific legislation has been passed to protect the rights afforded to employees, allowing them to take action if they are violated.
What protects employees and applicants from race discrimination? According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 works to protect employees and applicants from racial discrimination in several ways.
During the recruiting, hiring and advancement of employees and potential employees, the job requirements must remain uniform and consistently applied to persons of all races and colors. But even when job requirements are applied consistently, unlawful practices could exists such as soliciting from sources where all or most potential workers are the same race, requiring a certain educational background not consistent with the job performance or business or testing applicants on their knowledge, skills and abilities that are not related to the job.
Title VII also prohibits discrimination in compensation, terms of employment, conditions of employment and privileges. In addition, Title VII also protects employees and applicants from harassment based on their race, retaliation for speaking out about employment discrimination, segregation of employees and misuse of pre-employment inquires requesting information such as the applicant’s race.
Race discrimination like other forms of employment discrimination could be a very serious situation, causing much harm and damage to an employee or an application. In these matters, a cause of action could be filed, allowing the individual to recover compensation for the damages suffered.
Source: Eeoc.gov, “Facts About Race/Color Discrimination,” accessed May 4, 2015
