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Did you experience national origin discrimination at work?

On Behalf of | Feb 18, 2023 | Workplace Discrimination |

An employer should not discriminate against an employee based on place of origin and ethnicity. National origin discrimination can be common in companies but can be overlooked. If your employer treats you unfavorably because of your ancestry, you can take action against them.

The following are four signs of national origin discrimination:

1. Inappropriate jokes or remarks

If your employer makes an inappropriate joke or a remark about your cultural or ethnic identity, they may be discriminating against you. For instance, if they comment about a stereotypic trait of your ethnic group, perhaps assuming you possess it or stating you don’t perform as expected based on their assumptions. 

In most cases, this can be ignored and mistaken as teasing. Thus, you need to pay attention to the remarks your employer makes about your ethnicity.

2. Disrespectful questions

Undoubtedly, your employer or colleagues may want to learn more about you. However, this does not include asking disrespectful questions about things they have heard about a country or the ethnic group with which you identify.

3. Mocking your accent

An accent is closely associated with national origin. Thus, when an employer mocks your accent, they may be discriminating against you based on ethnicity. English fluency rules can also be unlawful. Employers may only impose it when fluency is required for the effectiveness of the job.

4. The English-only rule

It may be discriminative for an employer to ask employees to only speak English unless it’s necessary for the performance of the job. Thus, this rule should only be employed for nondiscriminatory reasons.

National origin discrimination can happen at any stage of employment. If you have experienced this discrimination type, it may be wise to consider your legal options.

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