Unfortunately, there are many people who are being bullied at work or face some kind of discrimination. Work should be a place where you are able to go and get things done in a harmonious environment. It doesn’t always work out that way, unfortunately.
Since we spend so much time at work it can have a terrible effect on our mental health when the atmosphere gets toxic.
Some people don’t realize what discrimination looks like and may not even know that things are not normal at their office. There are a lot of signs to look out for if you suspect you are being singled out and discriminated against.
In this article, we will go over some of the signs that are most common when discrimination is taking place before you call an employment lawyer.
1. You are being bullied
Don’t just think that bullies are only found in the schoolyards. There are also bullies at work and they can make your life very difficult. It isn’t always easy to understand if a coworker or boss is simply difficult to work with or if they are actually bullying you, however.
The signs that it is bullying are when you are being belittled in front of others or you are often the subject of ridicule. This is not just unprofessional behavior, it is also illegal. A bully at work has an agenda and is using you as a means to achieve it.
The bully might target your appearance or some other aspect of your personality and find it easy to make fun of you to others in your presence. It can have a devastating effect on your self-esteem and your productivity at work.
2. You’re being underpaid
Your salary should reflect your experience and value to the company. Generally, the people working with you in the same role with the same type of experience will make more or less the same amount of money.
If you are making less than your peers for the same work and the same amount of productivity then this could be a sign that you are being discriminated against. If you are a minority or a woman then this is unfortunately very common.
Many workplaces will try to tell their employees that talking about salaries is illegal and grounds for termination, however, this is not true. You can freely talk about your salary so find out if you’re making considerably less than your peers.
3. Not being promoted
When promotions come up, there is a reasonable expectation that you will get one if you have shown your value to the company. Over time, if you are getting good performance reviews regularly and are an asset to the company then that should be rewarded with a raise or promotion.
When you are consistently passed over despite your work ethic and value to the company then this is a sign that there is something not right going on. If you are in a protected class of workers then this may be the reason that you are being passed over.
