Unfair Discrimination Issue - Coursework Example

Running Head: Unfair Discrimination Unfair Discrimination [Institute’s Unfair Discrimination Introduction Employees play an imperative and crucial role in the success of any organization, and it is very important that steps should be taken to ensure their satisfaction at workplace. In this regard, a significant effort has been made to improve the quality standards of workplace, especially in developed parts of the globe, and various issues have been discussed broadly since few decades, in order to provide a home-environment to the employees for higher productivity and efficacy in different business organizations. However, despite of such efforts, employees at business organizations, as well as, graduates transforming into job seekers are confronting one of the most crucial issues of employment, discrimination. Studies have indicated that race, sex, gender, age, religion, health, color, and a number of similar factors result in the discrimination by employers at different levels, which has resulted in employment inequality in a number of countries around the globe. Until now, experts have specified two types of discrimination, fair and unfair discrimination. Specifically, this paper will discuss and analyze different issues related to unfair discrimination, as well as, steps that can be taken to eliminate or at least reduce unfair discrimination in the workplace by employers, as well as, employees. Moreover, this paper will be focusing workplace practices in the United Kingdom exclusively. Definition In terms of definition, action involving any illogical or uninformed grounds used to favor any individual is termed as discrimination. (Steiner, pp. 20-21, 2008) Experts have observed that unfair discrimination has taken a number of various forms at workplaces that are related to abovementioned factors, such as age, disability, gender, race, language, etc. In this regard, specific laws have been imposed by the UK Government for the protection of employees, as well as, employers in terms of unfair discrimination that will be discussed in other section of the paper. In brief, unfair discrimination is not limited to the mentioned factors; however, any action that results in prejudice against any individual is treated as discrimination. Types: Theoretically, unfair discrimination has been categorized into two types that are direct and indirect discrimination. In brief, illogical intentions and actions result in disparities and unequal treatment by employers while dealing employees, as well as, fresh applications for vacancies. Such type of unfair discrimination can be easily identified in an organization and steps can be taken to eliminate such actions. For instance, it is common to provide a lower remuneration to women, as compared with men that are paid higher in comparison, even in a developed country, such as United Kingdom. Such an unfair action can be easily identified, and thus, it is referred as Direct Discrimination. On the other hand, unfamiliar and delicate form of unfair discrimination is known as Indirect Discrimination. (Hunter, pp. 11-13, 1992) In other words, employees are not differentiated overtly in such type; however, individuals confront an adverse effect after actions related with indirect discrimination. Some of such significant discriminatory practices are harassment, bullying, invalidated psychological testing, and unauthorized HIV testing. All the abovementioned actions discriminate employees surreptitiously, and it is observed that such procedures often result in negative impact on individuals, and thus, should be avoided by employers at workplace. In the United Kingdom, a number of cases have been observed where leakage of confidential talks results in harassment at workplace, which is one of the major types of unfair discrimination. For instance, a gender-related surgery was shared by an employee with his manager, which was then leaked at the workplace. In the result, the employee had to confront malicious behavior and malevolent jokes related with that confidential talk. Such an action cannot be categorized as a direct discrimination, but an indirect one, which would have resulted in mental deterioration, as well as, reduced working capability as well. (Hunter, pp. 236-238, 1992) It is not necessary that unfair discrimination can be limited between employer and employee. However, it can be between employees as well, and at this point, it is the responsibility of employers to take effective steps to reduce the effects or eliminate unfair discrimination at the workplace. Studies have noted that uncomfortable and victimized feelings are usually confronted by individuals being harassed and bullied at workplace. Moreover, it is observed that actions related to unfair discrimination often attempt to create a task difficult that cannot be done by an individual, resulting in humiliation. In addition, antagonistic environment is often provided by employers that may result in hostile learning of the individuals. In the year 2001, (Human Rights Watch, pp. 49-56, 2001) a study was carried out to understand the effects of unfair discrimination on employees. Results of affected individuals were compared with unaffected employees, and results specified that a higher level of stress was present in discriminated individuals. Moreover, a majority of such individuals were uncomfortable at workplace. In addition, most of these individuals did not complain due to fear of more discriminatory actions by the employers. Sexual harassment is another major type of unfair discrimination that involves sexual exhibit, bigot remarks, and unnecessary demands for sexual actions. Such type of unfair discrimination is confronted particularly by female employees, as compared with male employees. Sexually oriented actions are generally tackled by female employees at their workplaces, in order to acquire a position or get a good remuneration. On the other hand, racial harassment has also been a major component of unfair discrimination that has affected thousands of employees in the United Kingdom due to its culturally diversified workplace environment. Individuals emigrating from different countries to the United Kingdom usually confront racist insults, mocking, etc at workplaces that results in workplace victimization. (Cotter, pp. 79-82, 2006) Disabled individuals are often harassed and discriminated at workplaces, as well as, while applying for a job position. It is observed that employers favor individuals without any disabilities that is a kind of direct unfair discrimination, and must be avoided by organizations. Another form of unfair discrimination is discriminatory actions based on age. In the United Kingdom, a number of employers discriminate older individuals by hiring younger individuals and firing older members of the staff. (Steiner, pp. 57-59, 2008) However, it is not necessary that such discussed actions would have planned as discrimination, and thus, it is advisable that situations should be analyzed comprehensively, in order to come up with a discriminatory description. Discrimination-Free Workplace Until now, the paper has discussed different manifestations of unfair discrimination that are observed at workplaces in the United Kingdom. Now the paper will discuss possible steps that can be taken to eliminate unfair discrimination and reduce its effects at workplaces. Moreover, some of the anti-discrimination laws will be analyzed as well that are created by the UK Government to protect individuals in the country. Employers and managers play a significant and crucial role in an organization, and thus, it is necessary that leadership skills should be portrayed by employers, in order to protect rights of employees working in an organization. In this regard, motivational and encouraging workshops should be organized by employers that have resulted in significant impact in this aspect. Moreover, unfair discrimination can be reduced by allowing confidential reporting of such actions by providing secure and private options that have now become very easy due to advancement of technology. A number of organizations in the UK are practicing such applications and have benefited significantly. Some of the other steps that can be taken by employers to eliminate unfair discrimination at their workplaces have been specified by a number of experts in the United Kingdom. For instance, it is advisable that specific questions related to the job and qualifications should be asked by the employers during an interview. According to the UK law, a number of questions are prohibited for employers during an interview, such as health, disability, age, marital status, etc. (Susser, pp. 23-26, 2005) Employees and victims can contribute in the reduction of indirect discrimination by taking support of anti-discrimination laws and legislations that deal and tackle all kinds of unfair discrimination based on race, language, disability, age, sexual orientation, and a number of other factors that were discussed earlier in the paper. Anti-discrimination laws provide compensation, position restoration, and similar options available for affected employees in case of unfair dismissal, and thus, it is very imperative that employers should follow laws and legislations in the country. In the United Kingdom, government has played a significant role in elimination of unfair discrimination. One of the noteworthy examples of such efforts is the Employment Equality Regulations created in the year 2003 based on sexual orientation and religion. Another major example is the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 that was imposed in April 2008 and has been very beneficial in this context. Similarly, in the year 2003, the Race Relations Act 1976 was improved by bringing noteworthy changes related to race and ethnic issues. (BERR, 2008) Lastly, unfair discrimination is a malevolent practice and must be eliminated from the society. Conclusively, the paper has discussed some of the significant aspects of unfair discrimination in the United Kingdom. It is hoped that the paper will be beneficial for students, teachers, and professionals in better understanding of the topic. References Anne-Marie Mooney Cotter. (2006). Race Matters. Ashgate Publishing Limited. BERR. (2008). UK Department for Business, Enterprise, & Regulatory Reform. Retrieved on January 10, 2009. www.berr.gov.uk Henry J. Steiner. (2008). International Human Rights in Context. Oxford University Press. Human Rights Watch. (2001). Unequal Protection. Human Rights Watch. Peter Susser. (2005). Disability Discrimination. BNA Books. Rosemary Hunter. (1992). Indirect Discrimination. Federation Press. Word Count: 1483 Words Read More