Racial discrimination in the workplace may be illegal, but that does not mean it doesn’t happen all the time. In fact, about 33 percent of Latino workers claim they have been discriminated against at work. That’s a stunning percentage, considering today’s modern employment laws.
Examples of this discrimination include:
- Getting unequal pay for the same job as their coworkers
- Not getting considered for promotions that they deserve
- Finding it hard to land a job when putting in applications
A poll found that the discrimination Latinos face is not exclusive to the workplace. For instance, the study also found discrimination among those trying to purchase a home and attempting to rent an apartment or a room.
Furthermore, an even greater amount (a full 37 percent) claimed that they had been referred to using ethnic and racial slurs. This offensive language targeted them directly based on nothing but race.
In the workplace, the greatest amount of discrimination — by a very slight margin — occurred when Latino workers applied for jobs. While companies may try to hide the reasons for not hiring someone, making up another excuse instead, many Latino workers felt like they were getting passed over due to their ethnicity rather than their skills or other qualifications for a job.
This is a huge problem, even in such an ethnically diverse state as California, and it can really impact someone’s career. Latinos and others who face discrimination and illegal hiring practices must know all of the legal options that they have. Even when it seems hard, the law is on your side.