The way discrimination complaints are handled in the workplace may help protect employers and employees—and/or cause the filing of charges with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) against employers. Most discrimination complaints are brought to the attention of supervisors or managers and human resource professionals by employees. To prevent and appropriately handle discriminative complaints, employers must provide training to new human resource employees according to EEOC′s rules and guidelines.
Examples of Discrimination Complaints Reported to HR
Most complaints made concern the subject of equal pay, disability, age, race, gender, and religious discrimination. Most employees file complaints with superiors before filing charges against employers with the EEOC. It is the responsibility of the superior and/or an employee to report complaints to a professional in the human resource department.
Workplace Discrimination Statistics in the U.S.
According to EEOC, there were nearly 89,000 workplace discrimination charges alleging various types of complaints, fiscal year of October, 2013 to September, 2014. Discrimination can and does happen in the workplace and new HR professionals must be prepared to properly document complaints and implement resolutions. The company’s employee handbook must provide pertinent information pertaining to how to file complaints with superiors and the department.
How to Eliminate or Reduce Discrimination Complaints
To eliminate or reduce discrimination complaints, employers must train HR employees, as well as other workers in the importance of proper workplace conduct. New human resource professionals must refer to HR EEO policy, which is included in employees’ handbooks. Review the information provided in the handbook with each employee and reinforce company’s policies pertaining to discrimination. Ask the employee to sign the consent page that he or she read and understands the information provided in the handbook. Implementing and reinforcing a comprehensive employer’s policy handbook may help to eliminate and reduce discrimination workplace complaints.
How to Handle Discrimination Complaints
It is the duty and responsibility of HR professionals to handle discrimination complaints based on the company’s policies. The employee filing the complaint must be protected against retaliation and assured immediate action to rectify the matter. These employees may seek counsel from a firm like Tarkowsky & Piper Co., L.P.A., which provides representation at hearings and in court proceedings involving workplace discrimination. It is the HR professional’s duty to ensure discrimination is dealt with promptly and legally.
New HR professionals are required to handle discrimination complaints immediately by documentation and protecting the reporting employee. Ensure reported information is kept confidential and resolve workplace conflicts as soon as possible. When employers implement and reinforce its policies, it may help to resolve disputes, reduce complaints, and even eliminate discrimination complaints.
