Religious Discrimination and Racial Harassment in Workplace

 

With several federal laws that protects individuals from unfair treatment in the workplace. Becoming more complex with the interpretation of these federal laws that regulates the relationship between employer and employee, employment laws are now a critical issue, where there are organizations (Corporate, DoD, USN, USMC, Mega Churches) knowingly and unknowingly have violated these laws, this comes at a high cost, negative press and public relations, and for and employer to violate these laws, there are severe consequences (Mello, 2013).

Race/Color Discrimination

Defined by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, any type of behavior that involves the mistreatment of an applicant or employee based on his/her personal characteristics that is associated with and individual race pertaining to (hair texture, skin color, or other certain facial features. While color discrimination is defined as treating someone less favorably because of their skin color is different, and to take it further, it can also involve being treated unfavorably because of who they are married to (“Racial Discrimination,” 2017).

Religious Discrimination

Treating someone unfavorably because of their religious beliefs is discriminatory but, federal laws protects not only people who are traditional in their beliefs, organized religion (Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism), and the many other religious groups that holds ethical or moral beliefs (“Religious Discrimination,” 2017).

In the case scenario, there are several instances where workplace discrimination has taken place the problem was not properly addressed, causing for MarShawn DeMur to file a EEO Complaint for workplace discrimination. During the time Mr. DeMur knew that the location of job for the promotion he was seeking, the demographics showed Chenworth, Kansas, to be predominantly white, with 7% ethnic minorities. Mr. DeMur at first saw this to be a problem but, was encouraged to take the promotion since Trenton Communications, Inc. did have a written policy about discrimination in the workplace and how serious the company is to stay within compliance (Combs, 2017).

Violation #1: Invitation to church, an individual religious belief should not have and bearing on being hired or promoted. The invitation to church after the interview was not a wise choice; testing to see if the new employee is a fellow believer.

Violation #2: Religious discrimination begins once his boss finds out that Mr. DeMur joined a small religious group called Internationalist, and to questions one belief is discriminatory. Once this was out and the entire plant knowing that Mr. DeMur was of another faith, the attacks came.

Violation #3: Color discrimination and racial discrimination articles and artifact being found in Mr. DeMur office is an attack on that individual’s belief.

Violation #4: Threats and intimidation by leaving racial and religious content on walls and desk, etc. Telling someone to their face that their religion is a cult and then intimidate them with “your kind not welcome here,” is a serious violation.

Violation #5: Passed over for promotion because of their religious affiliation should have never been the reason for the manager to hire someone from outside the company, instead of inside the company who has the experience.

We could go on, and with Trenton Communications, Inc. EEO/Anti-Discrimination/Diversity/Harassment Policy, Mr. DeMur right to sue will affect Trenton Communications because of someone’s ignorance of EEO laws and company policies (Combs, 2017).

Trenton Communications offer diversity, which is critical for creating and sustaining an organizations competitive advantage. Having a diverse workforce strengthens the company as w world-class provider in the telecommunications industry. Harassment; regardless of the type, is not tolerated at Trenton Communications, and can means grounds for immediate dismissal, depending on the severity of the claim to assure that it does not create a hostile work environment.

Trenton internal compliance policy assures that all employees or persons engaged in any activities on Trenton premises, are required to comply with the letter and spirit of the company’s policy and all applicable laws and regulations outside of the company’s policy. Any violations of these policies, regardless if the actual law was violating, Trenton will not tolerate this type of behavior. As required by law, a full investigation will follow to see if there are any violations related to the polices established before any disciplinary action is taken (Combs, 2017).

In conclusion, all those involved should be reprimanded, the manager to take and extensive course on discrimination in the workplace or lose their job. Through those individual’s actions, Trenton need to make it very clear that this type of behavior will no longer be tolerated and failure to comply will result in immediate termination.

Trenton Communications will be paying out a hefty settlement because of one individuals ignorance that stirred up a hornet’s nest, causing a chain reaction where the company must repair its’ image or dissolve.

References

Combs, PhD., G. M. (2017). Employment Law. Society for Human Resource Management, 2-10.

Mello, J. A. (2013). Strategic Human Resource Management, 4e (4 ed.). Retrieved from https://mbsdirect.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781285969787/cfi/303!/4/[email protected]:0.00

Race/Color Discrimination. (2017). Retrieved from https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/race_color.cfm

Religious Discrimination. (2017). Retrieved from https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/religion.cfm