Employee discrimination is pervasive and damaging in the Houston, Texas area. Discrimination is illegal, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission defines a total of twelve types of discrimination that are illegal and which they oversee as regulators.
Discrimination types
Discrimination can take place across a variety of categories. Different sets of laws forbid these types of discrimination, but when it comes to enforcement, they all fall under the EEOC’s purview. Some of these are demographic, such as race, age, national origin, religion, gender and sexual orientation, and genetic makeup. A few of the rest are other protected categories that can change over time, including disability, parental status, and pregnancy. It is also illegal to discriminate based on the compensation level of employees.
Harassment and retaliation
Harassment and retaliation are special types that merit discussion. Harassment is an ongoing pattern or history of hostile actions and events. Harassment is specifically illegal, even if it is not connected to one of the other 11 categories. Retaliation is also a special case. Retaliation is an action that an employer takes to punish an employee for filing a discrimination complaint, asking for accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act or opening a discrimination case with the EEOC. Employers may not interfere with the lawful process of getting discrimination or harassment to stop.
The twelve types of employment discrimination are defined by a set of sometimes overlapping laws and regulations. However, they all allow employees to open cases with the EEOC or complain to their manager in order to put an end to the behavior and create a welcoming place of work.