There is a famous quote, by Martin Niemölle, about the importance of speaking up when you see discrimination. It tells how the Nazis came for various groups of people, yet he did not speak out because he was not a member of those groups. It ends, “Then they came for me — and there was no one left to speak for me.”
It can feel challenging to speak up when you see discrimination in your San Diego workplace. Yet, if everyone remains silent, the discrimination will continue.
Discrimination has become entrenched in many workplaces, whether through intention or ignorance. As a result, many workers do not realize they have the right to work free of discrimination or harassment. Many do not even realize the range of activities that classify as discrimination.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) upholds your right to take specific actions to prevent discrimination, without retaliation. For example, you may:
- Report discrimination to your supervisors.
- File a complaint to the EEOC.
- Act as a witness in a discrimination complaint.
- Ask an employer to accommodate a disability or religious needs.
- Discuss salaries with your colleagues or ask for salary information from your employer.
However, some San Diego employers may not like you speaking up. There are various forms they may retaliate, some subtler than others:
- Abuse, either physical, verbal or emotional.
- Changing your role to make your life more difficult.
- Inflicting financial harm by reducing your hours, refusing to promote you or firing you.
Proving retaliation is challenging, as employers will invent excuses for their actions. It will take the help of an experienced San Diego employment attorney to prove your case.