It is undeniable that racism/discrimination/prejudice has existed in our past years as a nation. In 2019, ethnic discrimination is not a rare phenomenon. It still remains an issue in our society, as race contributes an obstacle to full involvement in the workforce and the idea of equality of opportunity is being disregarded. Whether it’s caused by racial grounds, questioning of statistics, or unconscious stereotypes, these reasons “may explain why racial and ethnic minorities continue to experience unequal access to opportunity” (Midtbøen & Rogstad 209). Let’s say an employer plans to interview a prospective employee. The chance of an individual of color attaining a job compared to an individual from the majority population is ten to one. I say this because “experiment tradition show[s] that about 90% of the discrimination occurs in the stage of the job-seeking process where job interview offers are made” (Midtbøen & Rogstad 207). This ultimately shows that racial discrimination still exists and affects the justice and cohesion of society, but this can all be avoided if we just take into consideration the feelings of others, implementing equality and fairness. Furthering racial equality encourages the cooperation and effort of those who, for example, may possess white privilege and using it to suppress discrimination. Additionally, employers may address accounts of racial discrimination within the workplace and make an attempt to get rid of it.
Discrimination within the workforce has proven to be prevalent in many ways; as a part of the employment process or just in the workplace. “A groundbreaking study published in 2003 found that employers were more likely to consider white candidates with criminal records than black candidates with no such history” (Jameel & Yeradi). An ideal prospect might be overlooked because the employer is stereotyping or makes negative or uninformed assumptions about that person. In reality, white privilege proceeding can be of detriment in the workplace to a POC a lot of the same ways racial discrimination can. There is a thing such as white privilege that could actually allow those with this advantage to further themselves within the workforce with less effort than POC. Their greater access to power and resources, in turn, affects people of color by overshadowing their opportunity to excel. A white man could also potentially receive a promotion over a black man, assuming that that black employee has exceeded expectations more than the white employee. POC can be especially targeted when it comes to being overlooked for earned promotions and benefits or even receiving unearned disciple and terminations. And, despite the fallacy of the belief that it is a law for all types of discrimination to be protected, it is actually true that though workplace discrimination is protected, it is often arduous to prove in court that discrimination even occurred. Race cases are one of the most frequently “filed but have the lowest rate of success, with just 15% receiving some form of relief” (Jameel & Yeradi). A court ruling in Philadelphia actually wrote that a supervisor calling an inferior a slur once is ok (Jameel & Yeradi). Rejecting discrimination is an ultimate test for our legal system, as it’s clear that POC are not really protected under the law.
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According to Jameel and Yeradi, “Discrimination at work is a problem. It’s not being properly addressed” (Workplace discrimination...). As it happens, there was an organization created just for this: the EEOC, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. It was initially presented with very little tools to enforce the law. Its purpose was to investigate complaints, attempt to resolve the issues between companies and employees, and suggest cases to the US attorney general. They did not have the power to sue or issue cease-and-desist requisitions. So, the main issue is that the EEOC does not have the resources for such an enormous task. Its budget is even less than it was when it was established along with 42% less staff. To make the situation even worse, three out of five of its commissioner seats have been relinquished, meaning their leadership is inconsistent. As Charlotte Burrows says, the agency is ultimately stretched thin (Workplace Discrimination...). These deficiencies are detrimental to black workers. More than a quarter of EEOC complaints are from black employees claiming racial discrimination, but it has been seen in recent years that the organization closes the majority of cases without even considering whether discrimination occurred and, sometimes, “sometimes, workers’ lawyers say, [the] investigation involves no more than asking the employer for a response” (Jameel & Yeradi). To put it briefly, the EEOC has failed in satisfying the mission Congress ordained in 1965. The Civil Rights Act aimed to suppress job discrimination, but the money and support needed was never fulfilled. With all this being said, there is still the perspective that it does not really exist. “In Heckman’s view, employers’ discriminatory hiring practices are no longer relevant in explaining racial inequality in American society. The differences in income and employment are instead explained by pre-market factors – i.e., differences in skills that are due to inequality of family environments, schools, and neighborhoods – and not discrimination.” (DISCRIMINATION… 4) And there are many people who share this belief with Heckman. Though you can make a sufficient argument as to deny the continuation of racial discrimination in the workforce, you must put into consideration the plethora of legitimate evidence that exists.
Now that we have established what discrimination is, I would say it is time for a proposal. With the unity of society in mind, the proposal was not only made to promote racial equality but to subdue racial discrimination within the workplace. It puts into perspective the action of white people, or anyone, learning about what discrimination actually is and maybe even using it to help minorities. Also, I would say that the proposal encourages cooperation in the workplace, as a whole, to not only diversify but to address ways racial discrimination can be avoided.
Knowing the right time to listen and/or to speak up (Collins) to help others can be an option for leading toward racial equality. Try listening to a POC when they talk about their experiences of oppression, as they could be going through an affliction that you could not imagine having to deal with. Listening helps mostly because you become more aware of the issue and maybe even deliberate on how you could help so that it does not happen to someone else. I mentioned white privilege before to bring into consideration that white people typically are not aware of this power they have─a power that could potentially end racism─that, in turn, also makes them unable to recognize the discrimination POC routinely face. They are not able to identify with a POC because they do not have to face the hardships a POC would face, but white privilege gives them an ability to change the perspective of the majority population if they become more enlightened on the racial issues that exist in society. Beyond recognition, the effort of a white person to personally take the time out to become informed about the hardships of a POC can have a significant effect. Noticing a bias and verbally saying something is a way anyone could defend that person and their efforts, and knowing the reasoning behind that unjust behavior makes it even more worthwhile. Your voice can be more powerful than you may think, as it could be a step toward the ending of discrimination.
Educating employees and management about discrimination should be more accepted than it is. When you do become aware of a situation, deal with these complaints of discrimination in an appropriate manner. Weekes recommends establishing a policy that interdicts discrimination can help with doing that (8 ways...). It would make for an easy explanation and solution when dealing with these problems because creating this will comprehensibly define workplace discrimination (Fuhs). Ensuring that that policy is properly enforced may come with a challenge, but in the long run, it will protect not only your company but will also prepare you and your staff for it if it happens. Furthermore, educating them can have the effect of your staff gaining mutual respect for one another (Finn). Seeing that they respect one another and their diversified ideas and experiences, you’re therefore encouraging them to consider their differences and work through them. If an employee has a complaint about racial discrimination, the employer’s job is to recognize the problem and mediate to find a just resolution. This, in turn, makes for a peaceful and more productive workplace, as they become more contented with working and interacting with a race rather than their own.
Racial discrimination still exists in settings like the workplace and it is a problem that is many times avoided or ignored, but this can be overcome with deliberative efforts to stop it from happening. Something as easy as listening and standing up for what is right to help a POC who is being unfairly treated would suffice. Furthermore, an employer could simply take the initiative to establish and maintain a collaborative and accepting environment within the workplace by putting in place a practice as an effort to diminish discrimination. I believe that, with these efforts, racial equality will be furthered; maybe not all the way but a peaceful world where discrimination does not live would be nice.
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