Anti-discrimination laws have been an important aspect of US history. These laws help ensure that all Americans are being treated fairly and not judged based upon their race, sexuality, and culture. That being said, we still need anti-discrimination laws in the United States because everyone deserves to express themselves and embrace their culture and race. Without these laws, we cannot guarantee that people will treat others of different race or sexuality fairly. In the workplace, especially in current times, many are subjected to discrimination and new anti-discrimination laws need to protect those of different sexualities, race, and culture. African Americans, Latinos, Asians, and Native Americans face many difficulties in the workplace.
Minorities receive comments made by many against their race and are also not looked at with as high value. For example, Gloria Hamilton who worked at a Detroit cargo facility “found a double looped noose hanging on her door… three years later she found the knotted noose in the employee lunchroom” (Leitch). The hangman’s noose is one of the most frightening representations of racial harassment in America, many African Americans died because of lynch mobs from the end of the Civil War to the 20th century. Gloria Hamilton then brought the case to court, and the company claimed, “she had simply found a piece of rope and there was no evidence that it was directed against her or anyone else” (Leitch). If there was a policy that forbids harassing behaviors by employees it would show that the company is proactive in protecting the rights of all employees. The double looped noose was depicting a racist act and was meant to hurt Gloria Hamilton, since anti-discrimination laws are not as enforced in the workplace many are being victimized against. Moreover, Matheson Trucking Employees were awarded $15 million after being called “lazy stupid Africans” by bosses and employees, also Marcel Espiritu, a Native American was subjected to five years of hateful comments from supervisors. These racial acts are not something that should be happening in the 21st century, and is immature for grown adults to say.
Many are exposed to hurtful and segregated comments every day, and bosses in the workplace barely penalize their workers. Those of different cultures and religions are also discriminated against in the workplace. Various workplaces implement a new rule that requires all employees to dress in a particular way even if it means they can’t wear an item of clothing that they regard as part of their faith. That is not right because America allows people to have freedom and believe in any religion, telling someone they can’t wear something that is a part of their faith takes away their freedom. In addition, occasionally, colleagues make fun of people that are reading the bible in coffee breaks or practicing their religion in public. This victimization is against the law, but many do not want to bring the issue to court because of the fear of failure. If anti-discrimination laws were implemented and changed to meet current times, maybe bosses would be stricter and fire racist employees.
Moreover, Josephine Harper who was working as a care worker realized her hours were reduced, and was being taunted because she was Irish. Her manager, Ms. James would say she had a “funny accent”, and would call her an “Irish gypsy”, and claimed she was “embarrassing like the TV show My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding” (Leitch). It’s sad that people of different cultures are still not accepted in modern-day times, additionally it is alarming that grown adults are acting this way.
Lastly, some businesses are being taken to court because of advertising for job applicants of one religion only, and forcing workers to engage in religious rituals. For example, CCG employees were “forced to engage in a variety of religious practices at work, including prayer, religious workshops, and spiritual cleansing rituals” (Byrd). The employment firm is forcing people to pray which was not a requirement of the job. Luckily, the law protects employees from having to choose between having a job and engaging in religious practices. Anti-discrimination laws at businesses need to be followed because than this organization would have not been allowed to abuse their employees. The LGBT community faces a huge amount of backlash and criticism. In the workplace, many are fired, not payed as much, and their spouses/wives are not given benefits.
Many apply for jobs and have excellent qualifications but are not hired because some of the company’s longtime clients are more comfortable dealing with those that are straight. People that have great qualifications and knowledge are not given the job just because of their sexual orientation which is not fair. In modern times, the LGBT community has become more accepted and widespread and discrimination laws need to ensure that they are treated fairly. Moreover, a transgender women Patricia Dawson had “15 years’ experience as an industrial electrician and had been a rising employee at H&H Electric, a contractor for four years, when she informed her boss in 2012 that she was transitioning to female and had changed her name” (Eckholm). Her boss told her to “keep the plans a secret, and not to rock the boat with clients” (Eckhom). Her identity change then became apparent and her boss fired her for being “too much of a distraction”. This employee had years of experience and was fired just for being the person that she wanted to be. It is not right that people are not accepting of people that are different from them.
Moreover, Title VII states that sex cannot be a qualification for a certain job “the refusal to hire an individual based on stereotypes characterizations of the sexes is illegal. Individuals should be considered on the basis of individual capacities” (Work Place Fairness). Even though these laws are made, they are not obligatory and taken seriously in many workplaces, and bosses do not follow them because it goes against their personal beliefs. Discrimination against LGBT is a huge issue not only in the workplace, but in restaurants, schools for teenagers, and other public places. According to the New York Times there have been some positive changes “in the past two years, the agency has successfully pursued 223 cases involving gay or transgender people who faced workplace harassment” (Eckholm). More laws need to be made to ensure that people are not fired based upon their sexual orientation and treated equally by their bosses. However, some believe that anti-discrimination laws are not needed and will do nothing but cause more attention to the issues. Various people argue that “antidiscrimination laws help those that would discriminate on socially acceptable grounds” (Newman).
Anti-discrimination laws would not help people discriminate in social environments because they are laws that will help protect people, with new laws there would be more awareness and consideration towards different races, cultures, and sexualities. In addition, some state that “an employer whose judgement is focused on his or her dislike for some group would be removed naturally” (Newman). Normally if someone dislikes someone or something it does not go away “naturally”. People that have a disliking towards a certain race or sexuality usually comes from how they were raised by their parents and those that they’re friends with.
Disgust towards a certain race is extremely uncultured, these new laws would bring consciousness and maybe change the way people treat others in the workplace. Lastly, some consider that “any hiring policy that gives productivity a backseat to some other characteristics (race, sex) will cause the firm to have higher costs and less production than other firms” (Newman). This statement is false because well-known, effective business’ hire based upon people’s qualifications and not based on their race. Conversely, there are still some business’ that refuse to hire people because of their sexuality and race, with stricter and more implemented laws bosses would stop judging people based upon their skin color and sexuality. The workplace needs to focus more on people’s credentials and personalities, with new anti-discrimination laws it would help eliminate biased bosses in the hiring process. Discrimination is still a rising issue in current times.
In the workplace those of different race, sexuality, and culture are still being victimized against and not being treated fairly by bosses and other employees. With new anti-discrimination laws, it would help many get equal pay, be treated fairly, and change hiring policies. In modern times, these laws need to adapt to the changes that have happened in the United States, and ensure that workplaces are treating their employees with the respect that they deserve.
