What are the common types of discrimination?

Discrimination is the unequal treatment of people based on their characteristics like age, sex, race, and religious belief. In West Virginia, discrimination in the workplace is illegal and goes against employment law. The most common type of discrimination is called direct discrimination, which occurs when an employer intentionally treats an employee or job applicant differently because of a protected characteristic. For example, a hiring manager refusing to hire a woman because she is pregnant would be an example of direct discrimination. The second type of discrimination is called indirect discrimination and it occurs when an employer creates a policy or rule that applies to everyone but disproportionately impacts certain people because of a protected characteristic. For example, if an employer sets a physical strength requirement and only women cannot meet it, this is indirect discrimination. The third type of discrimination is called harassment, which refers to verbal or physical behavior that creates a hostile environment. This may be because of a protected characteristic or an employee’s refusal to comply with unlawful requests. For example, if a supervisor makes offensive remarks about a female employee’s race, this is harassment. Finally, the fourth type of discrimination is called retaliation. This occurs when an employer takes an unfavorable action against an employee for doing something protected under the law, like filing a discrimination complaint. For example, if an employer fires an employee who reports racial discrimination, this is retaliation. Overall, discrimination is illegal in West Virginia and employers must treat all employees fairly and equally. The four most common types of discrimination are direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.

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What are the common types of discrimination?

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