Common Causes of Workplace Discrimination

Table Of Contents

What Are the Causes of Discrimination Based on Protected Characteristics?

The causes of discrimination based on protected characteristics involve bias against an individual’s personal attributes. Protected characteristics include race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, and genetic information. Discrimination occurs when an employer makes employment decisions based on a protected characteristic. An employer’s actions create an unfair workplace environment. An employer’s actions deny equal opportunities to individuals.
Discrimination arises from conscious and unconscious biases. Unconscious biases are automatic mental shortcuts. Unconscious biases affect perceptions and decisions. Conscious biases are deliberate prejudicial attitudes. Conscious biases lead to intentional discriminatory acts. Both types of bias undermine merit-based employment practices. Both types of bias harm an individual’s career progression.

How Does Indirect Discrimination Cause Workplace Issues?

Indirect discrimination causes workplace issues through seemingly neutral policies or practices. A seemingly neutral policy disproportionately affects individuals with a protected characteristic. The policy appears fair on the surface. The policy has a discriminatory impact in practice. The policy creates barriers to employment or advancement for specific groups.
An employer’s policy about working hours causes indirect discrimination. A policy requiring full-time availability disadvantages individuals with caregiving responsibilities. Women disproportionately bear caregiving responsibilities. The policy therefore indirectly discriminates against women. The policy limits women’s access to certain jobs or promotions.

What Causes Age Discrimination in the Workplace?

What causes age discrimination in the workplace? Age discrimination causes employers to make decisions based on an individual's age. Age discrimination affects older workers. Age discrimination affects younger workers. Older workers experience assumptions about older workers' ability to adapt to new technology. Older workers face stereotypes about older workers' energy levels. Younger workers encounter assumptions about younger workers' lack of experience.
Age discrimination manifests in various forms. Age discrimination includes refusal to hire an older applicant. Age discrimination includes denying training opportunities to older employees. Age discrimination includes promoting a less qualified younger employee over an older, more experienced one. Age discrimination also includes termination of employment based on age.

What Causes Disability Discrimination?

Disability discrimination occurs when an employer treats a qualified individual with a disability unfavourably. The employer treats the individual unfavourably because of a disability. Disability discrimination also involves an employer’s failure to provide reasonable accommodations. Reasonable accommodations help an individual with a disability perform important job functions.
Disability discrimination stems from misconceptions about a disabled individual’s capabilities. Employers sometimes assume a disabled individual cannot perform job duties. Employers sometimes fear the cost of providing accommodations. The fear of cost leads to discriminatory hiring practices. The law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations unless doing so causes undue hardship.

What Causes Harassment as a Form of Discrimination?

Harassment as a form of discrimination occurs when unwelcome conduct creates a hostile work environment. The unwelcome conduct is based on a protected characteristic. Harassment includes offensive jokes, slurs, epithets, or name-calling. Harassment also includes physical assaults or threats, intimidation, ridicule or mockery. Harassment also includes insults or put-downs, offensive objects or pictures.
Harassment becomes unlawful when the conduct is severe or pervasive. The conduct creates a work environment a reasonable person considers intimidating. The conduct creates a hostile or abusive work environment. The conduct affects an individual’s employment. A single incident of harassment is enough if the incident is sufficiently severe.

What Causes Retaliation in Workplace Discrimination Cases?

Retaliation in workplace discrimination cases occurs when an employer punishes an employee for exercising their legal rights. An employee exercises legal rights by reporting discrimination. An employee exercises legal rights by participating in a discrimination investigation. An employee exercises legal rights by filing a discrimination complaint.
Retaliation manifests in various ways. Retaliation includes demotion, undesirable job reassignment, or reduced work hours. Retaliation includes unjustified negative performance reviews. Retaliation includes termination of employment. An employer’s retaliatory actions aim to deter employees from reporting discrimination.

FAQS

What causes direct discrimination?

Direct discrimination causes an employer to treat an individual less favourably than another. The employer treats the individual less favourably because of a protected characteristic. Direct discrimination is often overt and intentional.

How does bias cause discrimination?

Bias causes discrimination when an employer's prejudices influence employment decisions. Employer prejudices are often unconscious. Bias leads to unfair treatment of individuals based on individual group affiliation.

What causes systemic discrimination?

Systemic discrimination causes an organisation’s policies and practices to disadvantage certain groups. These policies and practices are often embedded in the organisation’s structure. Systemic discrimination creates widespread unequal opportunities.

What causes discrimination in hiring practices?

Discrimination in hiring practices causes employers to reject qualified candidates. Employers reject qualified candidates based on protected characteristics. This discrimination often stems from stereotypes or preconceived notions about specific groups.

What causes discrimination in promotion decisions?

Discrimination in promotion decisions causes employers to pass over deserving employees. Employers pass over deserving employees due to protected characteristics. This discrimination limits career advancement for affected individuals.

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