Despite widespread media coverage of the damaging effects of racism and sexism at work, New Yorkers continue to face harassment and discrimination on the job. Dealing with workplace discrimination can be emotionally devastating as well as damaging to a person's career. This may be exacerbated if an employee suffers retaliation after attempting to address the issue. In other cases, a worker's justified fear of retaliation may be so great that they are hesitant to speak up about the mistreatment at all. By understanding their rights, workers are better able to protect themselves and challenge unjust treatment at work.
Racism and ageism are still common in American workplaces
Workers in New York and around the country are more likely to report witnessing or experiencing workplace discrimination than European workers according to the results of a recent survey. The online review company Glassdoor asked 1,100 American workers about discrimination in the workplace based on age, gender, race or sexual orientation, and they then compared their answers with the responses given by workers in the United Kingdom, Germany and France. More than six out of 10 of the Americans said that they had been exposed to this kind of discrimination in some way. The figures from British, French and German workers were 55%, 43% and 37% respectively.
Discrimination still a major problem on the job
Many New York residents might expect that fewer people face discrimination on the job decades after civil rights laws were enacted. However, despite the rise in diversity consulting and corporate inclusion initiatives, large numbers of workers continue to report instances of discrimination, racism, sexism and anti-LGBT prejudice on the job. According to a study conducted by the online employment review site Glassdoor, around one-third of adults have either witnessed racial discrimination in the workplace or have been the victims themselves. When all forms of unlawful discrimination are taken into account, the numbers are even more staggering.
