Both Nevada employment laws and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibit discrimination at work based on race, color, religion, and national origin, among other factors. All of those factors can commonly be considered to fall under a person’s general “ethnicity.” The term ethnicity can refer to many different traits of a certain group of people, including commonality of physical traits, religious beliefs or practices, associations or allegiances, ancestry and background, among others.
Because ethnicity is so closely related to many protected factors such as race or national origin, workplace discrimination based on ethnic traits is generally also against the law. Any employee who has suffered harm due to ethnic discrimination in or around Las Vegas should discuss a possible case with HKM Employment Attorneys as soon as possible.
Types of Ethnic Discrimination
Ethnic discrimination can be based on actual or perceived ethnicity. For example, if an employee is from India and is a practicing Hindu but an employer mistakenly assumes they are a Muslim from Iraq or neighboring countries, the discrimination is still unlawful even though it was based on mistaken impressions.
A person’s ethnicity or perceived ethnicity can encompass many different factors, including the following:
- Skin or hair color;
- Hair or facial hair styles;
- Manner of dress;
- Religious beliefs or practices;
- Linguistic characteristics, including accents or speech patterns;
- Foreign birthplace;
- Ancestry from a particular country or region;
- Other traits perceived as common to a certain ethnic group.
In addition, an employer can engage in many different discriminatory acts, which may include:
- Asking inappropriate questions on applications or in interviews regarding an applicant’s ethnicity;
- Refusing to hire people of certain ethnic backgrounds;
- Treating certain ethnic group members differently at work, including different compensation, different standards for performance and discipline, or segregating employees of different ethnicities from others;
- Refusing to promote or award pay increases based on ethnicity;
- Harassment of an employee that creates a hostile work environment;
- Any type of adverse employment action in retaliation for complaints of ethnic discrimination;
- Terminating an employee based on ethnic traits.
In many cases, ethnic discrimination can lead to loss of wages, benefits, or other financial compensation that the victim would have otherwise received. In addition, being the victim of discrimination can cause emotional harm. Employees or former employees who suffered harassment or discrimination based on their ethnicity should be fully compensated for any losses they incurred by the offending employer.
Contact Our Las Vegas Employment Lawyers to Discuss Your Rights and Options Today
Ethnic discrimination may not only be emotionally traumatizing but can also result in financial losses due to demotion, pay decreases, or job loss. You should know that the highly experienced legal team at the Nevada office of HKM Employment Attorneys is on your side. We have represented the rights of employees of all different ethnicities, races, religions, and backgrounds and we will protect your right to be free from discrimination in the workplace. If you would like an evaluation of your situation, please call our Las Vegas office at 702-625-3893 or contact us online today.
