Race+and+Color

__**Race/Color:**__

Discrimination where race and color are concerned, can be seen in several different forms. However, all forms of this particular discrimination are illegal. Discrimination can involve an applicant, employee, client, customer, supervisor, and/or colleague. Discrimination can happen during the interview and in the work environment as well as through policies/procedures (if in a negative impact) and harassment. Discrimination can include race, color, ethnicity, religion, who you are associated with, sex, pregnancy, characteristics, and conditions.

Discrimination of race are actions by an employer that impacts another employer which can include discrimination of ancestry, physical characteristics, race-related illness, culture, perception, association, sub-group, and 'reverse' race discrimination. Discrimination of color is "when a person is discriminated against based on the lightness, darkness, or other color characteristic of the person". (EEOC website). Race and color discrimination "overlap", but "are not synonymous". (EEOC)

There are several laws enforced by the EEOC that help protect victims of discrimination. Title VII of the Civil Righst Act of 1964 makes it illegal to discriminate and retaliate against an applicant or employee. This law also requires employers to accomodate an employee's religious practice unless it would hurt the business operation. Sections 102 and 103 of the Civil Righst Act of 1991 "permits jury trials and compensatory and punitive damage awards in intentional discrimination cases".(EEOC) Section 102 and 103 are amendments to Title VII and ADA.

According to the statistics on the EEOC website, over 33,500 people reported that they were being discriminated against in 2009. Of the 33,500 in 2009, 31,000 were resolved. I noticed that during the years of 2005-2009, reported discrimination was on the rise as well as the resolutions. What also surprised me from the years of 1997-2009 was that unsuccessful conciliations almost doubled, sometimes tripled, the successful conciliations. This is very sad to me. In 1998, the money paid to solve these reports was $32.2 million dollars. In 2009 (a little over 10 years later), the money paid was $82.4 million. I think it shows how our economy has changed.

If you feel you have had some kind of discrimination against you, then you have 180 days to file a charge (which is extended in some states) and 45 days to report to an EEOC Counselor.