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Many professionals in the San Francisco Bay Area experience racial discrimination every day even though it is prohibited by law. According to a poll in Money.CNN.com, racial discrimination is a major issue that at least “15 percent of Hispanics and 26 percent of black people experienced within the last month.” Many victims do not know what to do about it, so they say nothing and continue to suffer in silence.
Anyone who experiences racial discrimination at their job should take some time to learn how they can fight and prevent it.
Learn the signs
Racial discrimination is not always easy to spot. It is not always subtle either. Common racially offensive tactics that employers and workers use include racial slurs, offensive language and unfair hiring and employment practices, states BlackEnterprise.com. Targeted employees may also experience stereotyping, hostility and bullying.
Get documentation
Victims should document each time they are racially harassed by their coworkers and bosses. They should include the time they occurred, names of all parties who are involved, witnesses, complete description of what happened and any other details that may be relevant to their ordeals. They should also preserve all physical evidence they may have that is in the form of emails, letters, posters and voicemails.
Ask the perpetrators to stop
Victims should ask the aggressors to stop harassing them. If they refuse and continue to bully them at work, victims should document the date, time and responses of the offending parties.
Report it
It is important for victims to report every incident. They should inform their immediate supervisors, bosses supervisors and human resources representatives about the harassment they experience. Employers cannot take appropriate actions to prevent racial discrimination from occurring in their workplaces if they do not know about it. Employers who fail to take corrective actions can be held liable and sued.
Racial discrimination can turn a healthy workplace into a hostile and uncomfortable environment. It can also cause victims to suffer mentally and physically from their ordeals. Making timely reports of all incidents and following up to ensure appropriate actions are taken can help to prevent racial discrimination from continuing in the workplace.
Consult a Race Discrimination Attorney
If you think you may have experienced racial discrimination, especially but not only at work or your place of employment, reach out to one of our attorneys for a consult. With offices in both Oakland and San Anselmo (Marin County), we are convenient to much of the San Francisco Bay Area.
Updated: 6/5/2017