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Two Parts:Avoiding Social DiscriminationAvoiding Discrimination at Work

Legislators have enacted a number of policies to reduce discrimination in the workplace and in social settings. However, racism, sexism, ageism and other forms of discrimination are still common. Setting an example for children and co-workers is the best way to discourage discrimination.

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EditPart 1 of 2: Avoiding Social Discrimination

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    Think about the jokes you want to tell carefully before you say them. Humor can lighten the mood, but it is often taken at another’s expense. Many jokes degrade women, ethnicities and disabled people.
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    Learn another language, or be open to accepting that most countries have citizens who speak dozens, if not hundreds of languages. Promoting language education, rather than fighting it, can decrease discrimination based on ethnicity.
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    Fight gender stereotypes in the home. Thinking of things as “women’s work” or “man’s work” may lead to gender discrimination in the next generation. As more and more families become dual-income households, make sure both sexes are treated as partners.
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    Socialize with people outside your comfort zone. Join a club, group or team where you have contact with people of different gender, sexuality or race. People often get into routines where they aren’t exposed to diversity in the community.
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    Be open to learning about other religions. Although you might be devout, a little research can help you find the common ground between another faith and your own. The next time someone makes a religious slur, talk about the commonalities, rather than the differences.
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    Request that clubs or groups that you join adopt a policy of “equal opportunity” to people of different genders, sexualities, races and physical health. Starting a conversation about creating an open group may avoid issues based on these topics in the future.

EditPart 2 of 2: Avoiding Discrimination at Work

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    Develop a set of qualifications and prerequisites before you start hiring for a job. Judge the candidates based on these professional parameters. If you fear a colleague is discriminating in their choices, ask for a third party to judge the candidates without seeing their names or faces.
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    Don’t ask for additional documents related to work history just because someone appears foreign or “ethnic.” Requiring a person who isn’t Caucasian to give you extra immigration or citizenship papers is discrimination, unless you ask for this paperwork as a matter of policy for all applicants.[1]
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    Look around at your work force. If you like in a diverse population but your employees are all from the same race, you may be inadvertently promoting hiring practices based on discrimination.
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    Develop a clear harassment and discrimination policy at work. Post it in a common location and add it to your employee handbook. Place a human resources manager in charge of complaints.[2]
    • Some smaller companies can’t afford to hire human resource managers. However, someone at the business should be a “contact officer,” who is responsible for handling discrimination issues before the employee contacts a state agency or a lawyer.
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    Provide yearly staff training on discrimination or harassment. Make it clear that there is a zero tolerance policy when it comes to discrimination. Announce how complaints and disciplinary action will be handled.
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    Keep a diary of all discrimination claims and how they were handled. You can protect yourself and your employees by noting each interaction.
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    Take steps to ensure that your locations are accessible to the disabled. Installing a ramp at a retail location or installing a sit/stand desk for an employee with a chronic back problem helps you avoid disability discrimination.[3]
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    Word job postings carefully. Include a statement at the end that says, “We are an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.” The following are common ways that people discriminate when they advertise jobs:
    • Stressing that a job is for a student or a “youthful,” “mature” or “retired” person is age discrimination.
    • Saying that a job is for a woman, man, dad or “stay at home mom” is gender discrimination.
    • Requiring that a job is only for US citizens or green card holders is discrimination based on nationality. Anyone who is qualified to work in the country should be allowed to apply. Work permits or visas are reviewed during the last step of the hiring process.
    • Stating that the person must be “clean-shaven” can lead to religious discrimination.
    • Referencing any race or ethnicity can be racial discrimination.
    • Writing that the person is “able-bodied,” “able to stand” or “slender” can be disability or weight discrimination.[4]
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EditSources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.justice.gov/crt/about/osc/pdf/publications/Rev10steps.pdf
  2. ↑ http://www.nt.gov.au/justice/adc/publications/SBB_Section08_web.pdf
  3. ↑ http://employers.grb.uk.com/promoting-diversity
  4. ↑ http://hr.umich.edu/oie/Avoiding-Discrimination.pdf


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Categories: Social Nuisances

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