Dedicated Discrimination Attorneys in Chicago

Workplace discrimination on the basis of race, or skin color, and also discrimination based on stereotypes and assumptions about or based upon race, are prohibited practices under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This means that employers cannot discriminate against employees or prospective employees based on their race or skin color with regard to:

• Hiring or recruiting a prospective employee.
• Firing a worker.
• Promoting a worker.
• Compensating an employee.
• Providing training opportunities, promotions, or other advancement opportunities.
• Any other term or condition of employment.

Similarly, employers cannot discriminate against an employee or prospective employee on the basis of the employee being married to someone of a specific race, the employee being a part of a group or organization that is based on race or ethnicity, the employee attending worship places or schools that are linked to a specific race or minority, or based on an employee’s cultural practices.

Discrimination Based on Immutable Characteristics of Race

There are many characteristics that often accompany being of a specific race. These characteristics are often immutable, meaning that they are simply a part of who a person is and they are not traits that can easily be changed. Immutable characteristics include things like:

• Skin color, pigment, complexion, shade or tone,
• The lightness, darkness or other color characteristic,
• Hair texture,
• Facial features, such as nose or eye shape,
• Diseases linked to specific races, such as sickle cell anemia, and
• Medical conditions linked to race.

Examples of Discriminatory Practices Based on Race

A few examples of prohibited practices of discrimination based on race or skin color include, but are not limited to the following:

• Seeking job applications from a source that ensure that a majority, if not all, of the applicant pool is on one race.
• Implementing discriminatory barriers to job entry that have nothing to do with performing job duties, such as requiring a certain level of education (i.e., college degree or professional degree) that is irrelevant to the job.
• Asking preemployment questions where the answers tend to indicate race.
• Employers allowing ethnic slurs and derogatory racial remarks or comments to go unchecked amongst employees, or not taking action against workers who engage in this type of discriminatory activity.
• Segregating an employee from other workers based on the worker’s skin color. This includes transferring a worker to an undesirable work location based solely on their skin color.
• Paying a worker less than fellow co-workers, who hold the same position and have the same level of experience, simply based on the worker’s race.
• Laying off or terminating workers based on their race rather than based on poor performance or other legitimate reasons for letting the worker go.

Call Now For A Free Initial Consultation

Employment discrimination based on race or skin color is forbidden under the law. If you believe that you have been a victim of workplace discrimination based on your race, the Law Office of Mitchell A. Kline can help. Contact our Chicago, Illinois workplace discrimination attorney today for a free consultation regarding your specific circumstances.