Although we have come a long way in the United States with regard to racism, prejudice, and discrimination, we still have a long way to go before those issues are completely eradicated. When it comes to discrimination in the workplace, numerous state and federal laws have been passed that make various forms of discrimination illegal in the workplace, including discrimination based on “national origin”. Only an experienced Florida employment law attorney can evaluate your unique situation and advise you whether or not you should pursue legal action as the victim of national origin discrimination; however, a basic understanding of the anti-discrimination laws that apply to the workplace is certainly a good place to start if you believe you are a victim of employment discrimination based on national origin.
Today, at the beginning of the 21st century things are not always much better than they were 100 years ago in the workplace. Workers from the Middle East, specifically, are frequently viewed as “terrorists” while workers from Central America are accused of “stealing” jobs. Regardless of why, discrimination in the workplace based on national origin is illegal.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII) makes it illegal at the federal level to discriminate in employment on the basis of national origin. At the state level, the Florida Civil Rights Act mirrors the protection afforded by the federal Civil Rights Act. Discrimination based on national origin may take various forms, including treating people differently because:
- They are from a different part of the world
- They are a different ethnicity
- They have a different accent
- They appear to be of a certain ethnic background (even if they are not)
National origin discrimination can also apply if you are treated differently because you are married to someone from a different ethnic background, because you are associated with someone from a different part of the world, or even because you are involved in an organization or movement to support people from a different ethnic background.
Both the state and federal Civil Rights Acts make it illegal to discriminate based on national origin in any aspect of employment, including, but not limited to:
- Hiring
- Firing
- Promotions
- Wages or salary
- Benefits
- Lay offs
- Training
- Job assignments
The law also makes it illegal for an employment to allow harassment in the workplace based on national origin.
If you have additional questions or concerns about discrimination based on national origin and/or if you believe you are a victim of workplace discrimination, contact the experienced Florida employment law attorneys at Richard Celler Legal, P.A. by calling 954-716-8601 to schedule your appointment.