Workplace discrimination
What is workplace discrimination?
Workplace discrimination can take many forms and happen on various statutory grounds. Discrimination is the act of distinguishing between people based on the groups, classes, or other categories to which they belong or are perceived to belong. Employers may can not discriminate on the basis of age, disability, gender, colour, race and ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, pregnancy etc. Discrimination occurs when individuals or groups are treated in a way which is worse than the way other people are usually treated, because of their actual or perceived membership in the above categories.
As can be seen from the above actual membership of group is not a requirement e.g. a person denied promotion because his boss believes that his subordinate is a homosexual is an act of discrimination, notwithstanding the fact that his subordinate is not a gay.
Some acts of workplace discrimination can be committed even if an employee is a member of a group but his associate (e.g. spouse) is such a member.