As a small business owner, it is important that you and your management staff have a basic understanding and a “no tolerance” policy regarding the various types of workplace discrimination.

It begins with a basic knowledge and understanding of the different types and legal aspects of workplace discrimination and moves to implementing your policies. While I am not an attorney, I can share with you my many years of experience managing and consulting for clients on how to avoid workplace discrimination. There are some basics that you should know and practice to avoid lawsuits and other undesirable outcomes.

In the U.S. various federal laws protect employees from discrimination. These include Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) which protects individuals 40 years of age and older from employment discrimination based on age; and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs.

A basic understanding of workplace discrimination covers unfair treatment of employees or job applicants based on legally protected characteristics, such as race, color, gender, national origin, age, military service or disability. Hiring or firing based on these characteristics violates the law. Deciding on promotions and job assignments based on any of these characteristics also violates the law.

As previously mentioned, there are many types of discrimination. Some may be subtle, while others are obvious, but here are the basics of each:

• Age Discrimination: Protects individuals aged 40 and older from discrimination based on age in employment decisions.
• Disability Discrimination: Prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities, ensuring they have equal opportunities in the workplace.
• Gender Discrimination: Involves treating someone unfavorably because of their gender, which includes issues related to pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity.
• Racial and Ethnic Discrimination: Involves unfair treatment based on race or ethnicity, affecting hiring, promotions, and workplace environment.

Discrimination not only affects the individuals directly involved but can also have broader, negative implications for your business. It can reduce employee morale, which in turn, can create a toxic work environment that reduces overall employee satisfaction and productivity. This will ultimately have a negative effect on your bottom line. It can also have legal consequences which can mean lawsuits, fines, and monetary and reputational damage to you and your business if you are found guilty of discriminatory practices.

The important takeaway here is that you must create a fair and equitable workplace. My firm, SACS Consulting, has advised many companies on ways to accomplish this thru implementing strong policies and training to prevent discrimination. This includes training management and employees to judge candidates based on their qualifications, why it is important to avoid jokes or comments on age, gender, race etc., and making sure to hire and promote based solely on merit. If you find you have questions or need additional advice, you can contact me, an HR consulting firm, or an employment attorney.

President, SACS Consulting & Investigative Services, Speaker, Trainer, Corporate Security Expert Timothy A. Dimoff, CPP, president of SACS Consulting & Investigative Services, Inc., is a speaker, trainer and author and a leading authority in high-risk workplace and human resource security and crime issues. He is a Certified Protection Professional; a certified legal expert in corporate security procedures and training; a member of the Ohio and International Narcotic Associations; the Ohio and National Societies for Human Resource Managers; and the American Society for Industrial Security. He holds a B.S. in Sociology, with an emphasis in criminology, from Dennison University. Contact him at info@sacsconsulting.com.