Employees may accuse a business leader of illegal discrimination for a number of reasons including the worker’s age, ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation. Any act to hire, promote, fire, adjust the salary or make any work-related decision based on the list above may be a discriminatory act.
Proactive leadership can help reduce the risk of these allegations. Three examples of steps business leaders can take to reduce the risk of a discrimination claim include:
- Awareness. Those who are taking the time to read this article and learn more about discrimination claims are already taking one of the most important steps to help reduce the risk of a claim. Leaders can greatly reduce the risk of a claim by learning about the different things that can encompass an illegal act of discrimination.
- Education. In addition to making sure the business leaders are aware of what qualifies as illegal discrimination, it is also important to educate supervisors and other workers throughout the organization.
- Processes. Leaders should put in place clear processes to report and investigate any allegations of discrimination. This can provide an opportunity to address any problems early on, so that they do not grow into a bigger issue in the future.
It is also important to note that business leaders and others who have such authority cannot retaliate against employees or workers who claim to be the victim of discrimination. Retaliation because a worker claims to be a victim of discrimination is illegal.
Business owners must abide by federal, state and local laws to avoid a discrimination claim.