Too many women in New York continue to experience gender discrimination on the job, and the same is true for racial discrimination, disability discrimination and other types of unlawful mistreatment. Despite legislation forbidding these practices, workers often fear that they will have little recourse to protect themselves and their jobs if they file a complaint about harassment or discrimination on the job. After all, retaliation is one of the most common types of discrimination claims after people lose promotions, bonuses or even their jobs after reporting misconduct.
Some people attempt to remain silent about workplace discrimination, but they may also suffer serious mental and even physical health effects as a result. There are actions that people may be able to take to bolster their ability to seek justice. One of the most important things people can do is to keep a log of misconduct on the job. A record of discriminatory or inappropriate conduct and lost opportunities can help to bolster a discrimination claim. When people receive emails or texts that are inappropriate or discriminatory, printing them or taking a screenshot may help to preserve them for the future.
By tracking harassment at the time it takes place, people may help to show that future retaliation came in response to a complaint about this type of misconduct. Workers may also benefit from reviewing a copy of official corporate policies and the employee handbook to assess their treatment of discrimination.
When people face employment discrimination, they may plan to go to their human resources department for help. Victims of discrimination on the job may benefit from first consulting with an employment law attorney to review the situation and explain more about their rights before filing a complaint.