Sex, Race, and Religious Discrimination
In June of 2011, the EEOC reported that deliberate discrimination against job applicants on the basis of race, sex, age, national origin and other prohibited bases remains a persistent national problem. If an employee or job applicant is discriminated against on the basis of race, religion, gender, national origin, age, or marital status, he or she may be entitled to relief under any one of several civil rights statutes, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Florida’s Civil Rights Act of 1992. In addition, several Florida counties and cities have enacted ordinances prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
If an employee or job applicant experiences any of the following, he or she may have a basis for filing a discrimination claim:
- Being paid less, or being provided with fewer benefits than co-workers of a different race, religion, gender, national origin, marital status, or sexual orientation;
- Being terminated for purportedly violating a company policy, even though the employee adequately performed his or her job duties, and other co-workers of a different race, religion, gender, national origin, marital status, or sexual orientation engaged in the same or similar conduct but were not terminated;
- Receiving fewer promotions than co-workers of a different race, religion, gender, national origin, marital status, or sexual orientation, despite having similar experience and qualifications;
- Being notified by a prospective employer that hiring preferences are given to individuals of a particular race, religion, gender, national origin, marital status, or sexual orientation, despite the fact that such characteristics are not a bona fide qualification for the position.
