What should you do if you are being discriminated against at work? As employment attorneys, our perspective on the next steps is complex, with one eye on potential future litigation. Ultimately, the goal is to stop the discrimination, but since this is not always possible, it is important to protect your future right to sue, in case that is needed.
What Should You Do If You Are Being Discriminated Against At Work? 3 Steps To Follow.
We recommend taking these three initial steps to address workplace discrimination.
#1 Document the discrimination
It is important to document all instances of discrimination and to do so on your personal phone or computer. Remember that your work computer is an employer’s property so you may not have access to your notes in the future.
When you document workplace discrimination keep track of the following:
The date the discrimination occurred
Who perpetrated the discrimination
Where the discrimination occurred
Names and titles of witnesses and their contact information, should you have it
#2 Speak with your supervisor about the discrimination
As you document workplace discrimination be sure to also inform your supervisor as to what is happening. It is important to give them an opportunity to address and correct the problem. Document when you informed your employer, and how, in your notes.
#3 File a report with human resources
Informing human resources of the discrimination is an important step in documenting what happened and putting your employer on notice of the workplace discrimination. Otherwise, it is possible that they could claim they were unaware of what was happening. When to report to human resources is a personal decision. Some people prefer to wait until the second instance and after the supervisor has been unable to stop the discrimination. Our recommendation is not to wait too long and if a supervisor is part of the discriminatory pattern, human resources should be informed right away.
Follow up with human resources in two weeks to determine what steps, if any, have been taken to stop the discrimination. If they refuse to act, you may need to file with the EEOC (the Quinn Law Group can help with this).
Speak with an Employment Attorney About Workplace Discrimination
The recommendations above are general suggestions and do not constitute legal advice for your individual situation. To get personalized answers to, “What should you do if you are being discriminated against at work?” call the Quinn Law Group to speak with an employment attorney. You can schedule a free consultation by calling 443-675-1005 or clicking here to schedule online.
Keep in mind that this blog is for informational purposes only and not legal advice. For that, you need to speak with an attorney. Fortunately, the Quinn Law Group offers free consultations.
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