Wisconsin Employers May Not Discriminate on the Basis of Race Race Discrimination is Illegal Under Federal & State Law
Federal law, under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Wisconsin law, under the Wisconsin Fair Employment Act, prohibit employers from discriminating against any employee because of her or his race, ethnicity, color, or national origin. Discrimination in the workplace can take many forms and can include: refusal to hire or promote a person, giving an employee less-favorable treatment to others, providing an individual fewer job or promotional opportunities, paying the individual less than others doing the same job, or subjecting that employee to harassment or racial or ethnic slurs. In addition to this intentional discrimination, federal and state laws also prohibit employers from unintentionally discriminating against employees, or potential employees, due to her or his race, ethnicity, color, or national origin. This unintentional discrimination is often systemic, taking the form of policies or practices used by the entire organization. In particular, policies and practices of an employer that treat minority employees or applicants much less favorably than their white counterparts for hiring, promotional opportunities, raises, termination during layoffs, or any other term and condition of employment may be considered discriminatory. Such policies and practices may include, among others, criminal background checks or promotional policies that disproportionately affect minorities. Retaliation Protections
Individuals who either attempt to assert their right to be free from discrimination, or assert the rights of others to be free from discrimination in the workplace through a “protected activity,” may not be retaliated against by their employer through an adverse employment action. Adverse employment actions include termination, demotion, refusal to promote, reduction in wages, or a a reduction in scheduled work hours. Protected activities employees may engage in to promote their own rights, or the rights of others, include:
- Filing or being a witness in an Equal Employment Opportunity charge, complaint, investigation, or lawsuit
- Communicating with a supervisor about employment discrimination or harassment
- Answering questions during an employer’s investigation of alleged discrimination or harassment
- Refusing to follow directives from an employer that would result in discrimination
- Asking managers or co-workers about salary information to uncover potentially discriminatory wage practices based upon race
Are You Experiencing Racial Discrimination in the Workplace? Employees experiencing discrimination may take the following steps:
- Employees can use any employer complaint or grievance procedure to report the problem and seek resolution.
- An employee can also file a formal complaint with the state or federal anti-discrimination agencies:
The
Wisconsin Equal Rights Division of the Department of Workforce Development can be reached in Madison or Milwaukee:
Madison Office 201 East Washington Avenue Room A100 P.O. Box 8928 Madison, WI 53708 (608) 266-6860 Milwaukee Office 819 North 6th Street Room 723 Milwaukee, WI 53203 (414) 227-4384 The federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) can be reached at 310 West Wisconsin Avenue Suite 500 Milwaukee, WI 53203 (414) 662-3680 Contact us if you believe you have been subjected to discrimination based upon your race or have any questions regarding your rights in the workplace.
Please call a Madison employment discrimination attorney directly at (608) 257-0040 or a Milwaukee employment discrimination attorney at (414) 271-8650, or email us via our Contact Page.