Institutional Discrimination - Glaser Labor Law

What Is Institutional Discrimination?

Employment Attorney On Institutional Discrimination Definition

It is well-known that certain types of workplace discrimination against individuals are against both federal law and California discrimination laws. An employer cannot discriminate against a single person on the basis of their race, religion, national origin, gender expression, family status or age. Discrimination at work against an individual can be easy to discover and identify, but what if discrimination is occurring against a group within the workplace? In particular, what if discrimination is occurring because of a policy or a company’s tendencies? Such actions may constitute institutional discrimination.

If you suspect that you and a collection of your coworkers have been discriminated against as a group, you may need to contact an employment lawyer to explore your options for action.

Institutional Discrimination Examples

Institutional discrimination can occur in any phase of the employment process, whether it is during the recruiting and hiring phase or affects promotions or involves firings. If a particular company refuses to hire people of a certain ethnicity or religion or refuses to promote individuals of a certain family status despite being qualified for the position, institutional discrimination is taking place.

However, some instances of institutional discrimination are not so overt. It is feasible that a hiring manager from a particular background or upbringing may unconsciously and unintentionally view members of another group as “less qualified.” In this way, institutional discrimination does not have to be intentional to occur.

Institutional discrimination may also be taking place in instances of:

Unfavorable or unpleasant tasks consistently being assigned to members of a certain group
Arranging the workplace or office floor plan based on race, religion, gender, or age
Unequal application of disciplinary measures
Unequal pay between workers who share the same responsibilities (which could result in a wage dispute)
Difficulty or obstruction with using the rights afforded by the Family and Medical Leave Act

Institutional discrimination can often be hard to detect. However, a discrimination lawyer can take a closer look at the situation and help you determine if discrimination is occurring against a group.

Free Attorney Consultation with Discrimination Lawyers

You do not have to accept the unjust treatment that you and your coworkers are receiving. Call us to have your situation reviewed by an experienced lawyer. The effects of institutional discrimination will not go away on their own. Therefore, it is essential to have legal counsel that can help you explore your rights and options for action. Contact our office to take the first steps towards ending the injustice in your workplace.