In 2009, Americans filed over 93,000 job discrimination charges with the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment Commission. At 36 percent, racial discrimination was the leading reason for charges being filed, followed closely by sex discrimination at 30 percent. Coping with job discrimination at work can be painful, humiliating and frustrating. It also affects your health, causing anxiety, high blood pressure or depression. Knowing what to do when you're fighting discrimination can protect your health and your career.
Step 1
Be aware of the types of discrimination you are legally protected against---age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion and sex. You also cannot be discriminated against because you filed a complaint of discrimination, states the EEOC.
Step 2
Request a written job description so you're clear on what your employer expects of you and the basis on which you will be evaluated, advises Cassandra Hayes in "Black Enterprise" magazine.
Step 3
Keep a log of your daily activities, advises Hayes. Write down any special accomplishments, awards or recognitions you receive.
Step 4
Ask to see your personnel file, recommends Equal Rights Advocates, a nonprofit legal organization dedicated to protect the rights of women and girls. Review it to make sure there is nothing untrue in your file; if there is, discuss it with your employer and have it corrected immediately.
Step 5
Write down the details of the discrimination that occurred, when and where it occurred and who was present. Report the discriminatory act in writing to your supervisor to begin a paper trail, advises ERA. Store all written communications between you and your supervisor in a safe place.
Step 6
Review your company's workplace manual to see if there is a grievance process you can if you do not get adequate response or support from your supervisor.
Step 7
File a discrimination charge or complaint with a government agency, advises the ERA. Visit the EEOC's "How to File a Charge of Employment Discrimination" page for more information.
Tips and Warnings
- If you belong to a union, consult it for assistance with filing a formal complaint at your workplace. You'll still need to file a separate charge with a government agency, however, according to the ERA. Share your problem with a family member or friend to ease some of the stress you're experiencing. Don't discuss the problem with co-workers because it's possible they could repeat what you say to your supervisor or employer.
- While it's illegal for your employer to fire you or retaliate in any way once you file a job discrimination charge, according to the EEOC, it does not mean that you can slack off at work. You must still carry out your functions as described in your job description. Otherwise, your employer may then have grounds to fire you for poor job performance.
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