Black Lives Matter At Work

Race discrimination in the workplace has always been a hot button issue and needs to be discussed again given recent national protests. All private employers, state and local governments, and educational institutions that employ 15 or more individuals are held accountable to Title VII. The anti-discrimination law doesn't just end during the hiring process. All employees should be offered the same opportunities. For example, in regards to salary, bonuses or promotions, the factors taken into consideration should be based on experience, merit, or job performance, and not race, color, gender, or sexual orientation, etc. 

You may have noticed the law also makes a distinction between race and color. Workplace Fairness does a great job of explaining the difference:

So in other words, it is not just about the color of someone's skin, but what that may or may not represent to an employer as a whole. Currently, there is much debate about the semantics and politics between the statements "Black Lives Matter" and "All Lives Matter." The reason why many companies are taking a decisive stance in favor of BLM is because it is not an inherent argument against other types of lives. It is a stance of solidarity with the black community, as well as an acknowledgement of the years of oppression that they have endured.

For any questions or concerns regarding various employment issues, please call the firm at 512-481-9292 and let's discuss. The more that you are involved in creating an equal workplace, the more that both you and your employees can be protected, supported, and most importantly, respected.