EEOC guide helps employers avoid national origin discrimination

On Behalf of | Jan 12, 2017 | Workplace Discrimination

New York employees may be interested in learning that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission released a guide on national origin discrimination. This document can help employees and employers understand what national origin discrimination is and what can be done to reduce the risk of any potential violations.

The EEOC describes national origin discrimination as treating unfairly those who are from a particular part of the world, have accents or appear to be of a certain ethnicity even if they aren’t. It is recommended that businesses ensure that managers and employees have access to the guidelines, especially as the political climate can give some people cause to treat others in the workplace differently.

Although there have been several high-profile national origin discrimination cases, some attorneys have noted that the issue may be even more widespread. For example, some cultures avoid discussing discrimination in public, potentially meaning that some individuals who are discriminated against may avoid filing claims. Of the claims that were filed in fiscal 2015, only about 15 percent led to a favorable resolution for the charging parties, and another 15 percent were closed due to administrative issues. In some cases, the charging party could not be found, and in others, there were problems communicating with the claimant.

Although employees are protected from discrimination based on their national origin, workplace discrimination can still happen. If an employee does not feel safe at work due to being discriminated against and the employer refuses to fix the problem, he or she may have the grounds to file a discrimination lawsuit against the employer. An attorney may provide representation to those who suffered from discrimination or harassment based on their national origin. In some cases, a lawyer may negotiate a settlement that compensates the employee for income that was lost through a wrongful termination or other adverse event.

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