Discrimination is an ugly thing, especially in the workplace. People are entitled to their private opinions, but there are rules and laws in the public sector that should be observed by everyone. I think the thing that galls me the most is religious discrimination.
I know of two cases in particular, one handled appropriately, and the other completely the opposite. In the first, some employees on a sales floor were discussing the unrest in the Middle East and the associated terrorist activity that is common in a war zone. One of the employees, without thinking, said something like, "I don't know if I would want to work in a place that hired those people." Everyone, including the person who said it, winced at the remark. It was something that just kind of slipped, and if he had thought his comment through a little more clearly, it would have been expressed in an entirely different way. He apologized, and the next day was given a written warning which he gladly signed. His behavior was corrected, the company policies were satisfied, and the whole matter was quickly forgotten.
In the other case, the person involved belonged to a religion that was an offshoot of the predominant religion in the area. When it became known, people started spreading rumors and eventually issued a complaint with human resources. The person was called out and questioned about things in general, but was also asked specific questions about their beliefs in relation to those of his fellow employees. He was eventually fired for creating a hostile work environment and given a moderate sum of money in exchange for not pursuing litigation against the company. His request for unemployment was denied, and in petitioning for an appeal was given a complete copy of the investigation that was conducted in the workplace. The transcripts showed that the human resources director asked people specific questions about this person's religious convictions, which should never have come up.
I and others encouraged him to find a labor attorney and sue the company for their blatant violation of his rights, but his feeling was that as he had signed an agreement not to do so, it would be dishonest, and that he was willing to leave his circumstances in God's hands. Shortly thereafter, a financial scandal rocked the company, and they ended up being sued by their investors and losing their NASDAQ listing, so maybe there was some Divine intervention.
In any case, if you find yourself or anyone you know facing any form of discrimination in the workplace, be it Texas in general or Houston in particular, don't hesitate to find a labor attorney to take the case. In many cases, the only way that this will stop will be when people stand up for their rights in the courtroom.
Author Resource:
Rosenberg Law (http://www.rosenberglaw.com/) is a Houston employment attorney , Texas practice devoted exclusively to employment law, primarily representing individuals in claims against their employers. Art Gib is a freelance writer.
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