Discrimination at work - does it apply to you?

Discrimination at work can affect any employee - on the basis of gender, age, nationality, religion, skin color or political opinion. However, it is worth knowing that the law categorically prohibits it, and any person who has suffered because of it may file a lawsuit in court. No co-worker or employer can make us feel left out on certain matters just because of whether we are older or younger, or perhaps of foreign origin.

Nevertheless, discrimination at work is still present and, in addition to the above-mentioned factors, also applies to employees working on a non-full-time basis or on a different contract.

Employees are most often discriminated against because of their age and gender. How to counteract it? When to fight for your rights?

Discrimination at work - types

At the outset, it is worth emphasizing that the law prohibits both direct and indirect discrimination. What's the difference?

Direct discrimination is treating people less favorably on the basis of certain criteria and doing so in an entirely open manner. Examples can often be seen in job advertisements, for example. Often a young woman is sought for the position of an assistant to the management board, and many times you can also meet with the statements “we are a young team, we are looking for young, ambitious people”. Direct discrimination is also characteristic of companies in which women earn more than men, irrespective of their competences, but precisely on the basis of gender, or whether younger people receive training invitations, and the elderly are omitted, seeing. Their smaller potential.

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Indirect discrimination, on the other hand, works in a somewhat covert way. The regulations in the company theoretically do not contain anything discriminating against anyone, but the truth turns out to be different. For example, in the company, separate provisions apply to persons employed under a mandate contract, and these provisions are less favorable than in the case of other contracts. Theoretically, there is nothing wrong with that, but in practice, mandate contracts are concluded only with older employees. So the conclusion is obvious.

How is discrimination at work manifested?

We have already presented the types of discrimination above. How else can discrimination at work be manifested? It should certainly be noted that it applies not only to employees who are already employed, but also to people applying for a job. Often, during an interview, employers ask women if they are planning to have a baby, which is explained by the fact that they value availability. Usually, after they find out that a woman has such plans, there is a negative response to the application or the recruiting company does not speak to the candidate at all.

We also briefly mentioned training that is often overlooked by older people. The same is also true for bonuses. For some reason, some employers feel that career development ends at a certain stage and do not invest in the development of long-term employees. You should be aware that everyone has the right to self-development, regardless of age, and no one can tell us otherwise!

Is mobbing discrimination at work?

Another form of discrimination is mobbing. It is a long-term process aimed at humiliating the employee, ridiculing or pushing him away from other people working in the company. Such behavior often causes an employee who is a victim of mobbing to become depressed or significantly deteriorate in health.

Discrimination at work - what to do?

Before we accuse a colleague or employer of discrimination, let us consider a few factors, such as whether everyone in a certain position is treated in the same way, whether there is indirect discrimination, or whether the regulations comply with applicable law. Initially, it is worth collecting evidence and taking it to the employer, staff or other trusted people in the company. If the situation cannot be clarified in this way, you can go to court. During this time, we are protected and the employer cannot terminate our contract.