At What Point Does Your Employer’s Unpleasant Behavior Become Employment Discrimination?
Almost all jobs require you to interact with coworkers and supervisors on some level, even if you pursued a career path that your college career counselor recommended after you scored off the charts for introversion on a personality test, and even if you work remotely and only interact with your coworkers by email and video chat. Human relationships are messy, and anyone who fails to realize this probably makes others uncomfortable more often than he or she realizes. It is against the law for employers and their representatives to discriminate against employees based on protected characteristics such as race, religion, age, or family status, whether by harassing them, excluding them from opportunities for promotion, or any of a list of other adverse actions. It is not against the law to miscommunicate or otherwise have difficulty getting along with others in your workplace. In many employment discrimination claims, it is one person’s word against the other’s what someone said, what the person meant, whether someone overreacted, or whether a protected characteristic of an employee played a role in the conflict. If you think you have experienced discrimination in the workplace, contact a Los Angeles discrimination and harassment lawyer.
Illegal Questions or Awkward Attempts to Build a Rapport?
Some of the “small talk” questions that people commonly ask each other in social settings are illegal to ask during job interviews. Do you have children? Are you married? Do you belong to a church? Where were you born? Do you have U.S. citizenship?
During the job interview process, employers may not ask applicants about protected characteristics such as their age, religion, natural origin, or sexual orientation. In most jobs, they also cannot ask about immigration status, beyond asking applicants to show proof of eligibility to work in the United States. Only jobs restricted to U.S. citizens or to citizens and permanent residents may ask applicants to prove that they hold the required immigration status.
Emotional Immaturity or Harassment?
Having a bad temper does not automatically bar you from employment; in fact, angry outbursts are frequent in some industries. If a supervisor’s anger tends to target you, personally, this may create a hostile work environment if it is related to a protected characteristic of the employee or employees it targets.
Likewise, offensive jokes or comments can be part of a hostile work environment. If it happens only once or twice, you might chalk it up to the person not knowing that his or her behavior was inappropriate, but if it is a pattern, or if it continues after you say that it bothers you, it may be harassment or discrimination.
Speak With a Los Angeles Employment Discrimination Lawyer
A Los Angeles employment discrimination and retaliation lawyer can help you with investigating discriminatory behavior at your workplace. Contact Litigation, P.C. in Redondo Beach, California to discuss your situation or call (424)284-2401.
Source:
msn.com/en-us/money/other/10-things-that-are-illegal-for-your-employer-to-do/ss-AA1oIujo?ocid=msedgntp&pc=ACTS&cvid=77398b781eca49d1a80ef1488178db2b&ei=24#image=12
