Workplace Discrimination...
The Ugly Truth.

Workplace Discrimination occurs when workers are singled out for unfair treatment in job hiring, assigned duties, rate of pay, chance of promotion, dismissal, and overall treatment in the workplace (by co-workers or employers) on account of their:

• race or color.
• age.
• sex.
• religion.
• political opinion.
• marital status.
• pregnancy.
• sexual preference.
• citizenship.
• physical or mental disability.
• ethnic or social origin.
• language ability.
• carer or family responsibilities.

Workplace Discrimination Facts:

• "An estimated 30,000 (British) working women are dismissed, made redundant or forced to leave their jobs every year because they become pregnant (Equal Opportunities Commission study)."...The Times, U.K. 2/02/2005
  
  
• Only 3% of these pregnant women lodge a claim at a government employment tribunal. (International Labour Office 2005)
  
  
• A European Commission report in 2009 found that Ethnic origin was believed to be the main source of discrimination (61%), followed by age discrimination (58%). 52% of Europeans were unaware of their legal rights as victims of discrimination. Two thirds of Europeans think the effects of the Global Financial Crisis will lead to increased discrimination.
  
  
• A survey of 70,000 Europeans in 28 countries by Kelly Services Inc. in 2006 found:
  ...65% of Hungarians had experienced discrimination when applying for a job (34% because of age, 13% because of gender).
  ...Sweden, Hungary & Italy showed the highest workplace discrimination; U.K. & Denmark the lowest.
  ...55% of workers over 45 years of age have been discriminated against because of age.
  ...16% of women had felt discrimination when applying for a job.
  
  
• U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission 2010 statistics showed 99,922 charges were filed claiming discrimination at work... 36.3% because of retaliation (payback after a worker lodged a complaint), 35.9% because of race, 29.1 because of sex, 25.2% because of disability, 23.3% because of age, 11.3% because of National origin, 3.8% because of religion.
  *P.S. Some workers filed multiple complaints, hence more than 100%.
  
  
• 43% of Australians of ethnic origin have been name-called, bad mouthed or dis-respected.
  
  
• Concerns about future Genetic Screening of workers to exclude those with a predisposition to develop health problems has prompted some E.U. countries like France, Finland, Sweden and Denmark to enact laws to prevent such discrimination against employees.

The Affects of Workplace Discrimination.

1. Companies that allow discrimination to fester usually end up losing out financially.

"They may suffer high staff turnover, absenteeism, poor morale, low productivity, poor reputation, and also the possibility of civil claims and penalties arising from breach of anti discrimination laws," ...Jonas Aniko, Kelly Services.

2. Discrimination in the workplace has a harmful effect on the health, wellbeing and mental health of many workers. Research has shown it can lead to anxiety and depression, psychological distress, fear, smoking, alcohol & drug abuse, obesity, and health breakdown.

3. Two Workplace Shootings in the U.S. have been blamed on workplace discrimination.

Warehouse driver Omar Thornton killed 8 co-workers then shot himself 8/03/2010. One of his friends told how Thornton (who was black) had found a picture of a noose and a racial slur hanging on a bathroom wall at work.

A former postal worker shot 1 acquaintance, 6 postal workers, then herself in the worst mass workplace homicide by a woman. The woman had a previous history of racial discrimination and had tried to start up a newspaper entitled The Racist Press.

4. The U.S. EEOC estimates $376 million was paid out to claimants of discrimination in the workplace in 2009.