Discrimination of any sort should never be tolerated in the workplace. Not only is it not morally acceptable, but, in many cases, it is illegal. There are several different forms of discrimination that tend to occur. If you believe that you have suffered a form of discrimination in the workplace, you must take action to understand the law and how to assert your rights.
Both state and federal laws are in place to protect workers from discrimination. You should pay attention to the laws in place in New Jersey and the regulations that apply throughout the United States. The following are some laws that you should pay particular attention to.
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) is a law that protects older workers from suffering discrimination due to their age. Workers aged 40 and older may experience negative treatment as they get older and edge closer to retirement. Older workers should never be treated differently as a consequence of their age. If you can show that you experienced negative treatment because of your age, you may be able to successfully protect yourself under the ADEA.
The Equal Pay Act
There is a long history of unequal pay for the same work between men and women. The Equal Pay Act of 1963 prohibits employers from paying two people unequally for the same work. If you are equally qualified as your coworker and you are performing the same work but you are being paid less, you may be able to get justice under the Equal Pay Act.
The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act
If your employer has information about your genetics, it may cause them to discriminate against you. This is why the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA) was put into place. This prevents workers from suffering in their career due to their genetic information, and it allows them to take legal action if they believe that they have been discriminated against.
If you think you have suffered from discrimination in the workplace, you must spend time reflecting on the nature of the discrimination to which you have been subjected. From there, you should be able to identify the laws in place that will help you to take legal action.
