Employment Opportunity Bias's

"Discrimination has a lot of layers that make it tough for minorities to get a leg up"

Bill Gates

Title VII in the Civil Rights Act of 1964

"To enforce the constitutional right to vote, to confer jurisdiction upon the district courts of the United States to provide injunctive relief against discrimination in public accommodations, to authorize the Attorney General to institute suits to protect constitutional rights in public facilities and public education, to extend the Commission on Civil Rights, to prevent discrimination in federally assisted programs, to establish a Commission on Equal Employment Opportunity, and for other purposes."

(Civil Rights Act of 1964)

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act bans covered employers from discriminating on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Title VII also forbids discrimination based on a person's affiliation with another person of a different race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, such as through interracial marriage. Title VII of the EEO has been strengthened by laws barring discrimination based on pregnancy, age, or disability.

Sex or Gender Discrimination In the Workplace

Sex and/or gender discrimination refers to how people are treated in the workplace based on whether they are a woman, man, or non-binary.
Sex and/or gender discrimination in the workforce can occur by
- Denied employment
- Pay Wage
- Job Title/Classification
- Material Status
- Parenthood
A type of sex/gender discrimination is harassment
- Harassment of a person based on their sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity, or pregnancy, is prohibited. Harassment does not have to be sexual; it can also involve inappropriate comments about a person's sex or gender
  - For example, it is prohibited to harass a lady by making derogatory remarks about women in general.
- Both the victim and the harasser might be of the same or different sex or gender.
- Although minor teasing, offhand comments, or isolated incidents that are not frequent or serious are not prohibited by law, harassment is illegal when it is so frequent or severe that it creates a hostile or offensive work environment or results in an adverse employment decision, such as the victim being fired or demoted.
- The harasser could be the victim's boss, a boss in another department, a coworker, a subordinate, or someone who isn't an employee of the company, like a client or a customer.

Racial Discrimination In the Workplace

Race discrimination occurs when someone, typically an applicant or employee is treated unfairly because of his or her race or personal qualities linked to race such as; hair texture, skin color, or certain facial features.
Research has shown that white individuals are involved in less bigotry than their black and Asian colleagues.
- 69% of black and 53% of Asian workers have been racial discriminations occurrence at work
To fight against racial discrimination within the workplace we as a society have to speak up
- 17% of individuals said that on the off chance that they saw an act of bigotry within the work environment, they would report it to HR
- 39% wouldn’t report it to anybody at all, for the stunning reason that they would be stressed around the results of doing so.
To end racial discrimination within the workplace we need to make people accountable
- Allowing someone to get away with racist conduct sends a strong message: they can do it again
- Leaders must guarantee that systems are in place to hold persons who have been found guilty of racist acts responsible for their actions
- The consequences for those who cross the line will serve as a warning to others that racism will not be tolerated, as well as providing closure for those who have been affected.

Sexual Orientation Discrimination In The Workplace

Sexual orientation discrimination is when an individual is treated differently because of their sexual orientation
- It could be a one-time occurrence or the result of a regulation or policy based on sexual orientation. It does not have to be done on purpose to be illegal
There is a law that protects individuals from being discriminated against in the workplace because of their sexual orientation; Equality Act of 2010
- According to the Equality Act of 2010, you cannot be discriminated against because you are;
  - Heterosexual, gay, lesbian, or bisexual
  - Someone believes you have a specific sexual orientation
  - Linked to someone with a specific sexual orientation
Equality Act of 2010 covers many different types of discrimination such as;
- Direct Discrimination
  - This occurs when someone treats you differently because of your sexual orientation than another individual in a comparable setting.
    - For example, a lady mentions her girlfriend during a job interview. Even though she is the best candidate they have interviewed, the employer decides not to hire her
  - Indirect Discrimination
    - When an organization has a policy or manner of operating that applies to everyone but disadvantages persons of your sexual orientation
    - Indirect discrimination may be allowed if the organization or employer can demonstrate that the policy is justified
  - Harassment
    - When someone makes you feel humiliated, outraged or degraded at work
      - For example, despite his request to use his true name, coworkers continue to greet a male employee with the feminine variant of his name. The coworkers insist it's just friendly banter, but the employee is irritated and offended.
    - Harassment is never acceptable. You will not be able to file a harassment claim against an organization or employer if it can show it did everything it could to prevent its employees from behaving in that manner, while you will be able to file a claim against the harasser
  - Victimization
    - This occurs when you are treated unfairly as a result of filing a complaint under the Equality Act alleging sexual orientation discrimination. It can also happen if you are assisting someone who has filed a sexual orientation discrimination complaint under the Equality Act
    - For example, a gay employee complains that his manager has 'outed' him against his will, and his company fires him.

Religious Discrimination In The Workplace

Religious discrimination occurs when someone (an applicant or employee) is treated unfairly because of their religious convictions.
Religious discrimination can also occur when someone is treated differently because they are married to (or affiliated with) someone who practices a specific faith.
Work Situations
- Discriminating against a person's religion in every area of employment is illegal under Title VII:
  - Hiring
  - Firing
  - Salary
  - Job assignments
  - Promotions
  - Layoffs
  - Training
  - Fringe benefits
Title VII also protects people from religious discrimination by
- Employers must provide reasonable accommodations unless doing so would cause excessive hardship. Flexible scheduling, allowing employees to swap shifts among themselves
- Having employers unable to make employees participate in religious activities or force them to refrain from doing so as a condition of employment.
- Employers must do everything possible to prevent harassment by coworkers.
- Employers are prohibited from retaliating against employees who use their Title VII rights.
The Religious Freedom Restoration Act, or RFRA
- The Religious Freedom Restoration Act, or RFRA, was introduced in 1993 and states that if the federal government proposes a law that restricts religious freedom, the government must demonstrate that:
  - A "compelling interest" is served by the new law.
  - The least restrictive method is used to meet that interest
- Twenty states have their own versions of this law, some enacted by legislative bodies and others based on precedent made by courts.
RFRA is enforced by The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
- EEOC is a federal agency that investigates claims of religious discrimination and a lack of reasonable accommodations.
- Employers with 15 or more employees are subject to their jurisdiction.
- In addition, each state has its own law enforcement department.

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