Not everything that happens at work will be positive. One of the negative things that can occur is that you suffer discrimination.
Sometimes it is clear that you were discriminated against, but sometimes you might be left unsure whether what occurred qualifies or not. You might be left wondering whether you are misreading things or whether to just forget about it and move on, or whether you have grounds to pursue legal action. Here are two such examples.
1. You did not receive your expected bonus
You’ve worked for your employer for a few years and have always received a bonus at a particular time. Yet this time, it is nonexistent or much lower than you expected. It might be that you or the company did not hit the metrics of past years. But if others still got theirs and you cannot see any legitimate reason why you did not, it is possible that discrimination is to blame – especially if others who share a protected characteristic with you have also done worse than the rest.
2. Something happens at an office social event
Workplace parties and social events often have issues with inappropriate behavior. While most employees act respectfully, some get carried away by the alcohol or feel freer to misbehave than usual because the event takes place outside of the usual work environment. People may say or do things that they wouldn’t normally which amount to harassment or discrimination. Their actions might be gender based, racist, ableist or straight-out sexual harassment. Just because bosses or coworkers are off duty does not excuse such behavior.
If you believe you may have been on the receiving end of discrimination or harassment, consider seeking legal guidance to examine your options.