A Wall Street Journal report recently noted that people are seeing and experiencing workplace discrimination and responding differently.
“American workers under the age of 35 are more likely to see and experience discrimination at the office,” according to The Wall Street Journal. A survey of 1,100 U.S. workers, between the ages 18 and 35, shows that an increasing number of young people are being exposed to discrimination based on age, race, sexual orientation or gender identity.
A 30-year-old, Anjali Misra, told the WSJ that she is a victim because of her race and age. “I’m short and I look young and I’m a woman of color, and I think that the ageism really crops up there,” she said. “I’m not taken as seriously.” She went on to observe that she’s treated differently on the phone, where her appearance is obscured.
Misra’s biggest complaint is that she feels “powerless,” and unable to effect change. Uncomfortable with her office’s human resource department, she’s unsure how to voice her concerns.
“My colleagues would tell me about something that happened, in confidence,” Misra says. “And when I would ask ‘How can I help?’ 90% of the time they’d say, ‘I really don’t see this going anywhere or me getting any sort of resolution.’”
Experts observe that many Human Resource departments aren’t utilizing training programs that would help prevent these situations.
“No one should ever feel powerless or disenfranchised, and with an estimated 75% of workplace harassment incidents going unreported, something is clearly awry,” noted Jonathan H. Newman, managing partner of Newman Ferrara LLP. “If your company’s HR department is unresponsive, it may make sense to speak with a lawyer to discuss your situation, and to see what legal remedies are available to you.”
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If you are experiencing discrimination, of any kind, do not hesitate to call one of our Civil Rights attorneys at 212-619-5400.