Countries with exceptions to prohibitions of racial and/or ethnic discrimination
Exceptions for | Hiring | Promotions/Demotions | Training | Pay | Terminations |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Small businesses | 5 (3%) | 3 (2%) | 4 (2%) | 3 (2%) | 4 (2%) |
Non-profits or Charities | 3 (2%) | 3 (2%) | 2 (1%) | 3 (2%) | 4 (2%) |
Religious Organizations | 14 (7%) | 13 (7%) | 14 (7%) | 9 (5%) | 14 (7%) |
The World Bank's (WB) regional classifications can be found here: https://datahelpdesk.worldbank.org/knowledgebase/articles/906519-world-bank-country-and-lending-groups . While Malta is classified as part of the Middle East and North Africa by the WB, it is also a member of the European Union (EU) and therefore more likely to have legislation reflecting the EU's principles and directives. Thus, we classified Malta as a part of Europe and Central Asia. All other countries retained their WB classifications.
Adisa , T.A. , Osabutey , E.L.C. , Gbadamosi , G. and Mordi , C. ( 2017 ), “ The challenges of employee resourcing: the perceptions of managers in Nigeria ”, The Career Development International , Vol. 22 No. 6 , pp. 703 - 723 .
Agocs , C. ( 2002 ), “ Canada's employment equity legislation and policy, 1987-2000: the gap between policy and practice ”, International Journal of Manpower , Vol. 23 No. 3 , pp. 256 - 276 .
Arceo-Gomez , E. and Campos-Vazquez , R. ( 2014 ), “ Race and marriage in the labor market: a discrimination correspondence study in a developing country ”, American Economic Review , Vol. 104 No. 5 , pp. 376 - 380 .
Baert , S. ( 2018 ), “ Hiring discrimination: an overview of (almost) all correspondence experiments since 2005 ”, Audit Studies: Behind the Scenes with Theory, Method, and Nuance , pp. 63 - 77 .
Bergman , M.E. , Langhout , R.D. , Palmieri , P.A. , Cortina , L.M. and Fitzgerald , L.F. ( 2002 ), “ The (un)reasonableness of reporting: antecedents and consequences of reporting sexual harassment ”, Journal of Applied Psychology , Vol. 87 No. 2 , pp. 230 - 242 .
Bertrand , M. and Duflo , E. ( 2017 ), “ Field experiments on discrimination ”, in Banerjee , A.V. and Duflo , E. (Eds), Handbook of Economic Field Experiments , Elsevier , Amsterdam , Vol. 1 , pp. 309 - 393 .
Buckman , S.R. , Choi , L.Y. , Daly , M.C. and Seitelman , L.M. ( 2021 ), The Economic Gains from Equity , Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco Working Paper , San Francisco .
Calvo , E. , Mair , C. and Sarkisian , N. ( 2015 ), “ Individual troubles, shared troubles: the multiplicative effect of individual and country-level unemployment on life satisfaction in 95 Nations (1981-2009) ”, Social Forces , Vol. 93 No. 4 , pp. 1625 - 1653 .
Chay , K.Y. ( 1998 ), “ The impact of federal civil rights policy on black economic progress: evidence from the equal employment opportunity act of 1972 ”, Industrial and Labor Relations Review , Vol. 51 No. 4 , pp. 608 - 632 .
Cheong , C.W.H. and Sinnakkannu , J. ( 2014 ), “ Ethnic diversity and firm financial performance: evidence from Malaysia ”, Journal of Asia-Pacific Business , Vol. 15 No. 1 , pp. 73 - 100 , doi: 10.1080/10599231.2014.872973 .
Churchill , S.A. ( 2019 ), “ Firm financial performance in sub-Saharan Africa: the role of ethnic diversity ”, Empirical Economics , Vol. 57 No. 3 , pp. 1 - 14 .
Coleman , M.G. ( 2003 ), “ Job skill and Black male wage discrimination ”, Social Science Quarterly , Vol. 84 , pp. 892 - 906 .
Collins , W.J. ( 2003 ), “ The labor market impact of state-level anti-discrimination laws, 1940-1960 ”, Industrial and Labor Relations Review , Vol. 56 No. 2 , pp. 244 - 272 .
Couch , K.A. and Fairlie , R. ( 2010 ), “ Last hired, first fired? Black-white unemployment and the business cycle ”, Demography , Vol. 47 No. 1 , pp. 227 - 247 .
Creese , G. ( 2010 ), “ Erasing English language competency: African migrants in Vancouver, Canada ”, International Migration and Integration , Vol. 11 No. 3 , pp. 295 - 313 , doi: 10.1007/s12134-010-0139-3 .
Crenshaw , K. ( 1989 ), “ Demarginalizing the intersection of race and sex: a black feminist critique of antidiscrimination doctrine, feminist theory and antiracist politics ”, The University of Chicago Legal Forum , p. 139 .
del Mar Alonso-Almeida , M. ( 2014 ), “ Women (and mothers) in the workforce: worldwide factors ”, Women's Studies International Forum , Vol. 44 , pp. 164 - 171 .
Demetriou , C. ( 2016 ), “ The equality body finds that restrictions in access to self-employment for third country nationals amount to unlawful discrimination, Cyprus ”, European Commission , available at: https://www.equalitylaw.eu/downloads/3840-cyprus-the-equality-body-finds-that-restrictions-in-access-to-self-employment-for-third-country-nationals-amount-to-unlawful-discrimination-pdf-95-kb ( accessed 7 January 2022 ).
Derous , E. and Pepermans , R. ( 2019 ), “ Gender discrimination in hiring: intersectional effects with ethnicity and cognitive job demands ”, Archives of Scientific Psychology , Vol. 7 No. 1 , pp. 40 - 49 .
Di Stasio , V. and Larsen , E.N. ( 2020 ), “ The racialized and gendered workplace: applying an intersectional lens to a field experiment on hiring discrimination in five european labor markets ”, Social Psychology Quarterly , Vol. 83 No. 3 , pp. 229 - 250 .
Donohue , J.J. and Heckman , J. ( 1991 ), “ Continuous versus episodic change: the impact of civil rights policy on the economic status of blacks ”, Journal of Economic Literature , Vol. 29 No. 4 , p. 1603 .
Dostie , B. and Javdani , M. ( 2020 ), “ Immigrants and workplace training: evidence from Canadian linked employer–employee data ”, Industrial Relations , Vol. 59 No. 2 , pp. 275 - 315 .
Drydakis , N. ( 2012 ), “ Roma women in Athenian firms: do they face wage bias? ”, Ethnic and Racial Studies , Vol. 35 No. 12 , pp. 2054 - 2074 .
Erhardt , N.L. , Werbel , J.D. and Shrader , C.B. ( 2003 ), “ Board of director diversity and firm financial performance ”, Corporate Governance , Vol. 11 No. 2 , pp. 102 - 111 , doi: 10.1111/1467-8683.00011 .
Fredman , S. ( 2016 ), “ Intersectional discrimination in EU gender equality and non-discrimination law ”, European Commission .
Goldman , N. , Pebley , A.R. , Lee , K. , Andrasfay , T. and Pratt , B. ( 2021 ), “ Racial and ethnic differentials in COVID-19-related job exposures by occupational standing in the US ”, PLoS One , Vol. 16 No. 9 .
Gorod , B.J. ( 2007 ), “ Rejecting reasonableness: a new look at title VII's anti-retaliation provision ”, American University Law Review , Vol. 56 No. 6 , pp. 1469 - 1524 .
Greene , D.W. ( 2017 ), “ Splitting hairs: the Eleventh Circuit’s take on workplace bans against Black women’s natural hair in EEOC v. Catastrophe Management Solutions ”, University of Miami Law Review , Vol. 71 , p. 987 .
Hatch , S.L. , Gazard , B. , Williams , D.R. , Frissa , S. , Goodwin , L. , SelcoH , S.T. and Hotopf , M. ( 2016 ), “ Discrimination and common mental disorder among migrant and ethnic groups: findings from a South East London Community sample ”, Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology , Vol. 51 No. 5 , pp. 689 - 701 .
Herring , C. ( 2009 ), “ Does diversity pay?: race, gender, and the business case for diversity ”, American Sociological Review , Vol. 74 No. 2 , pp. 208 - 224 , doi: 10.1177/000312240907400203 .
Hunt , V. , Prince , S. , Dixon-Fyle , S. and Yee , L. ( 2018 ), Delivering Through Diversity , McKinsey & Company , Los Angeles .
Javdani , M. ( 2020 ), “ Visible minorities and job mobility: evidence from a workplace panel survey ”, The Journal of Economic Inequality , Vol. 18 , pp. 491 - 524 .
Javdani , M. and McGee , A. ( 2018 ), “ Labor market mobility and the early-career outcomes of immigrant men ”, IZA Journal of Development and Migration , Vol. 8 No. 1 , pp. 1 - 28 .
Justesen , P. ( 2016 ), “ Board of Equal Treatment ruling on so-called ‘language barrier’, Denmark ”, European Commission , available at: https://www.equalitylaw.eu/downloads/3920-denmark-board-of-equal-treatment-ruling-on-so-called-language-barrier-pdf-131-kb ( accessed 7 January 2022 ).
Keenan , J.P. ( 1990 ), “ Upper-level managers and whistleblowing: determinants of perceptions of company encouragement and information about where to blow the whistle ”, Journal of Business and Psychology , Vol. 5 No. 2 , pp. 223 - 235 .
Kislev , E. ( 2017 ), “ Deciphering the ‘ethnic penalty’ of immigrants in Western Europe: a cross-classified multilevel analysis ”, Social Indicators Research , Vol. 134 No. 2 , pp. 725 - 745 , doi: 10.1007/s11205-016-1451-x .
Law on Prevention of and Protection Against Discrimination ( 2010 ), “ Skopje: constitutional court of the republic of Macedonia ”, No. 82 , available at: https://www.refworld.org/pdfid/5aa12ad47.pdf .
Leck , J.D. and Saunders , D.M. ( 1992 ), “ Canada's employment equity act: effects on employee selection ”, Population Research and Policy Review , Vol. 11 No. 1 , p. 21 .
Leck , J.D. , St. Onge, S. and Lalancette , I. ( 1995 ), “ Wage gap changes among organizations subject to the employment equity act ”, Canadian Public Policy , Vol. 21 No. 4 , pp. 387 - 400 .
Lessem , R. and Nakajima , K. ( 2019 ), “ Immigrant wages and recessions: evidence from undocumented Mexicans ”, European Economic Review , Vol. 114 , pp. 92 - 115 .
Luksyte , A. , Waite , E. , Avery , D.R. and Roy , R. ( 2013 ), “ Held to a different standard: racial differences in the impact of lateness on advancement opportunity ”, Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology , Vol. 86 No. 2 , pp. 142 - 165 .
Mayiya , S. , Schachtebeck , C. and Diniso , C. ( 2019 ), “ Barriers to career progression of Black African middle managers: the South African perspective ”, Acta Universitatis Danubius Oeconomica , Vol. 15 No. 2 .
Mora , C. and Undurraga , E.A. ( 2013 ), “ Racialisation of immigrants at work: labour mobility and segmentation of Peruvian migrants in Chile ”, Bulletin of Latin American Research , Vol. 32 No. 3 , pp. 294 - 310 , doi: 10.1111/blar.12002 .
Murphy , G.C. and Athanasou , J.A. ( 1999 ), “ The effect of unemployment on mental health ”, Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology , Vol. 72 No. 1 , pp. 83 - 99 .
National Gender and Equality Commission Act ( 2012 ), “ Ch. 5C, Nairobi: national council for law reporting with the authority of the attorney-general ”, available at: www.kenyalaw.org .
Piazzalunga , D. ( 2015 ), “ Is there a double-negative effect? Gender and ethnic wage differentials in Italy ”, Labour , Vol. 29 No. 3 , pp. 243 - 269 .
Pillay , S. , Ramphul , N. , Dorasamy , N. and Meyer , D. ( 2018 ), “ Predictors of whistle-blowing intentions: an analysis of multi-level variables ”, Administration and Society , Vol. 50 No. 2 , pp. 186 - 216 .
Racial Discrimination Act ( 1975 ), “ Barton: attorney General's department, Australian government ”, available at: https://www.ag.gov.au/rights-and-protections/human-rights-and-anti-discrimination/australias-anti-discrimination-law .
Rafferty , A. ( 2020 ), “ Skill underutilization and under-skilling in Europe: the role of workplace discrimination ”, Work, Employment and Society , Vol. 34 No. 2 , pp. 317 - 335 .
Raub , A. , Sprague , A. , Waisath , W. , Nandi , A. , Atabay , E. , Vincent , I. , Moreno , G. , Earle , A. , Perry , N. and Heymann , J. ( 2022 ), “ Utilizing a comparative policy resource from the WORLD policy analysis center covering constitutional rights, laws, and policies across 193 countries for outcome analysis, monitoring, and accountability ”, Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis: Research and Practice , Vol. 24 No. 4 , pp. 313 - 328 , doi: 10.1080/13876988.2021.1894073 .
Seabury , S.A. , Terp , S. and Boden , L.I. ( 2017 ), “ Racial and ethnic differences in the frequency of workplace injuries and prevalence of work-related disability ”, Health Affairs , Vol. 36 No. 2 , pp. 266 - 273 .
Seidel , M.-D.L. , Polzer , J.T. and Stewart , K.J. ( 2000 ), “ Friends in high places: the effects of social networks on discrimination in salary negotiations ”, Administrative Science Quarterly , Vol. 45 No. 1 , pp. 1 - 24 .
Spafford , M.M. , Nygaard , V.L. , Gregor , F. and Boyd , M.A. ( 2006 ), “ ‘Navigating the different spaces’”: experiences of inclusion and isolation among racially minoritized faculty in Canada ”, The Canadian Journal of Higher Education , Vol. 36 No. 1 , pp. 1 - 27 .
Stalker , P. ( 1994 ), The Work of Strangers: A Survey of International Labour Migration , International Labour Office , Geneva .
Sunstein , C. ( 1996 ), “ On the expressive function of law ”, University of Pennsylvania Law Review , Vol. 144 No. 5 , pp. 2021 - 2053 .
Thomas , A. , Dougherty , J. , Strand , S. , Nayar , A. and Janani , M. ( 2016 ), Decoding Diversity: The Financial and Economic Returns to Diversity in Tech , Intel Corporation and Dalberg Global Development Advisors , New York .
Tomlinson , J. , Valizade , D. , Muzio , D. , Charlwood , A. and Aulakh , S. ( 2019 ), “ Privileges and penalties in the legal profession: an intersectional analysis of career progression ”, The British Journal of Sociology , Vol. 6 No. 70 , pp. 1043 - 1066 .
Turner , A. ( 2018 ), The Business Case for Racial Equity: A Strategy for Growth , W.K. Kellogg Foundation and Altarum , Battle Creek, MI .
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs ( 2015 ), “ Reduce inequality within and among countries, goal 10 ”, available at: https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal10 (accessed 17 September 2021) .
United Nations General Assembly ( 1948 ), “ Universal declaration of human rights, resolution 217 A (III) ”, available at: http://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/ ( accessed 15 July 2021 ).
United Nations General Assembly ( 1966 ), “ International covenant on economic, social and cultural rights ”, available at: https://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/cescr.aspx ( accessed 16 July 2021 ).
United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights ( 1965 ), “ International convention on the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination ”, available at: https://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/cerd.aspx ( accessed 16 July 2021 ).
United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights ( 1966 ), “ International convention on civil and political rights ”, available at: https://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/ccpr.aspx ( accessed 16 July 2021 ).
United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights ( 2021a ), “ Status of ratification interactive dashboard - International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights ”, available at: https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?chapter=4&clang=_en&mtdsg_no=IV-4&src=IND (accessed 16 July 2021) .
United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights ( 2021b ), “ Status of ratification interactive dashboard - International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights ”, available at: https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=IND&mtdsg_no=IV-3&chapter=4 (accessed 15 July 2021) .
United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights ( 2021c ), “ Status of ratification interactive dashboard - International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination ”, available at: https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=IND&mtdsg_no=IV-2&chapter=4&clang=_en (accessed 16 July 2021) .
Weichselbaumer , D. ( 2020 ), “ Multiple discrimination against female immigrants wearing headscarves ”, ILR Review , Vol. 73 No. 3 , pp. 600 - 627 .
Yap , M. ( 2010 ), “ The intersection of gender and race: effects on the incidence of promotions ”, Canadian Journal of Career Development , Vol. 9 No. 2 , pp. 22 - 32 .
Yap , M. and Konrad , A.M. ( 2009 ), “ Gender and racial differentials in promotions: is there a sticky floor, a mid-level bottleneck, or a glass ceiling? ”, Relations Industrielles/Industrial Relations , Vol. 64 No. 4 , pp. 593 - 619 .
Yu , H. ( 2020 ), “ Multiracial feminism: an intersectional approach to examining female officers’ occupational barriers in federal law enforcement ”, Women and Criminal Justice , Vol. 31 No. 5 , pp. 327 - 341 , doi: 10.1080/08974454.2020.1734146 .
Zabalza , Z. and Zafiris , T. ( 1985 ), “ The effect of Britain's anti-discriminatory legislation on relative pay and employment ”, The Economic Journal , Vol. 95 No. 379 , pp. 679 - 699 .
Zempi , I. ( 2020 ), “ ‘Looking back, I wouldn't join up again’: the lived experiences of police officers as victims of bias and prejudice perpetrated by fellow staff within an English police force ”, Police Practice and Research: An International Journal , Vol. 2 No. 21 , pp. 33 - 48 .
The authors are grateful for funding from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Related articles, all feedback is valuable.
Please share your general feedback
Contact Customer Support
Limited time offer, save 50% on standard digital, explore more offers..
Then $75 per month. Complete digital access to quality FT journalism. Cancel anytime during your trial.
Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders. Pay a year upfront and save 20%.
10% off your first year. The new FT Digital Edition: today’s FT, cover to cover on any device. This subscription does not include access to ft.com or the FT App.
Terms & Conditions apply
Why the ft.
See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times.
Walmart is sued for gender and race discrimination by eeoc.
AMERICAN CANYON, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 16: A sign is posted in front of a Walmart store on November ... [+] 16, 2021 in American Canyon, California. Walmart reported better-than-expected third quarter earnings with revenues of $140.53 billion, or $1.45 per share, compared to the analyst expectations of $135.60 billion, or $1.40 per share. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Days after former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores sued the NFL and others for discrimination, another discrimination lawsuit is in the news . But this time the alleged discrimination took place in the retail industry.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit it announced today that a Walmart store in Iowa violated federal law when it gave a Black female employee an unsanitary lactation space based upon her race and failed to promote her based on sex stereotypes about mothers with small children.
The EEOC said it is seeking back pay, compensatory damages and punitive damages for the former employee, as well as injunctive relief to prevent future discrimination.
A Walmart spokesperson said that, “We do not tolerate discrimination of any kind, and diversity and inclusion is a key company priority.
“We take allegations like this seriously and tried for the past two years to resolve this matter with the EEOC to avoid litigation. We will address the claims in Court after we are served.”
Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024, cases on the rise.
According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission , there were more than 21,000 filed charges of sex discrimination in fiscal year 2020, up by more than 31% from 2019. Race discrimination lawsuits increased by almost 32% over the same period. Several of those lawsuits created negative publicity for companies and organizations and hurt their image and reputation.
Nicole Porter is a law professor The University of Toledo and teaches classes on employment law. She said that, "Despite two decades-old laws prohibiting sex discrimination sex discrimination remains prevalent in many— perhaps most—workplaces.
“But the prevalence of such discrimination varies widely from one workplace to another. Workplaces where sex discrimination runs rampant are generally in male-dominated industries that are often infused with a macho, uber-competitive culture and authoritative management styles,” she observed.
“Workplaces that are very hierarchical with extremely rigid rules tend to be less hospitable to women (and other subordinated groups, such as people with disabilities, people of color, and LGBT+ employees),” Porter noted.
According to a press release from the EEOC, the agency’s pre-suit investigation revealed that “Walmart failed to promote the employee to a management position at its Ottumwa store because it assumed she would not remain with the company long due to her having a newborn at home. Walmart also gave her an unsanitary storage closet to express her breast milk, a facility that was inferior to the clean office space it provided to a White employee for the same purpose.”
The EEOC said it filed suit in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.
“It is inexcusable and unlawful that qualified women are still facing these kinds of discriminatory barriers to career advancement in the workplace,” said Gregory Gochanour, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Chicago District Office. “Federal law clearly prohibits employers from making discriminatory promotion decisions based on sex stereotypes and requires employers to provide equal working conditions for their employees regardless of race.”
Porter at The University of Toledo said, “Employers hoping to avoid the negative effects of discrimination, which includes possible legal liability as well as damage to their reputation, should scrutinize their entire management structure and culture.
“Women should have a seat at the table at all levels of management. Rigid workplace rules and norms should be scrutinized to determine if they can be justified (and “this is the way it has always been” is not a justification). The better workplace cultures will have management that empowers all employees to work together to excel at their jobs, while giving them as much autonomy as possible.”
Attorney Nirupa Netram has more than two decades of experience in the legal, corporate, and government sectors in the areas of law, compliance, human resources, and operations. She said that, “The good news is discrimination is preventable. Businesses should send a clear message that their organization does not tolerate discrimination or any other form of illegal and/or unethical conduct.
“Leaders must ensure their company has anti-discrimination policies, which comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Such policies are typically written by an attorney with experience in labor law and that attorney should review such policies annually and revise them, if necessary,” she noted.
Netram said,“Additionally, as part of those policies, the organization should have a written mechanism for employees to internally report instances of suspected discrimination. The organization should regularly (at least annually) communicate its policies and reporting methods to its employees.
“There should also be mandatory training for every employee annually on how to recognize, prevent, and report workplace discrimination. If an employee reports an instance of discrimination, the company should promptly and thoroughly investigate the claim neutrally, which, depending on the circumstances, may involve using an outside, third-party entity to conduct the investigation,” she advised.
“And, if an investigation reveals the complaint has merit, the business must take appropriate action, including separating the offender, if warranted, without delay. This sends a clear signal of the company’s strong commitment to an ethical and inclusive workplace, which is vital to the success and longevity of the business, including its employees,” Netram concluded.
In 2020, U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Bostock v. Clayton County extended employment non-discrimination protections to LGBTQ people nationwide. Using survey data collected in the summer of 2023, this report examines the lifetime, five-year, and past-year experiences of discrimination and harassment among LGBTQ employees.
Executive Summary
Over 8 million workers in the U.S. identify as LGBT. 1 Employment discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity have been widely documented. 2 Recent research has found that LGBTQ people continue to face mistreatment in the workplace, 3 even after the U.S. Supreme Court held in 2020 that discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity is prohibited by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. 4 Experiences of workplace discrimination and harassment negatively impact employees’ health and well-being, as well as their job commitment, satisfaction, and productivity. These primary effects can, in turn, result in higher costs and other negative outcomes for employers. 5
This report examines experiences of discrimination and harassment against LGBTQ employees using a survey of 1,902 LGBTQ adults in the workforce conducted in the summer of 2023. It is based on a similar study published by the Williams Institute in 2021. 6 This report examines the lifetime, five-year, and past-year workplace experiences of LGBTQ employees. It compares the experiences of transgender and nonbinary (TNB) employees to those of cisgender LGBQ employees, LGBTQ employees of color to those of White LGBTQ employees, and LGBTQ employees who are out to at least someone in the workplace compared to those who are out to no one.
Our analysis indicates that employment discrimination against LGBTQ people continues to be persistent and widespread. Almost half (47%) of LGBTQ employees reported experiencing discrimination or harassment at work (including being fired, not hired, not promoted, or being verbally, physically, or sexually harassed) because of their sexual orientation or gender identity during their lifetime. Notably, across all six primary measures of lifetime experiences of discrimination and harassment, TNB employees reported higher rates than cisgender employees, people of color reported higher rates than White employees, and those who were out reported higher rates than those who were out to no one in the workplace.
This discrimination and harassment are ongoing: 17% of LGBTQ employees reported that they experienced discrimination or harassment within the past year. TNB employees were more than twice as likely as cisgender LGBQ employees to report experiencing discrimination (22% vs. 9%) or harassment (26% vs. 10%) in the past year. LGBTQ employees of color were also approximately twice as likely to experience discrimination (15% vs 7%) and harassment (16% vs. 9%) in the past year compared to White LGBTQ employees.
Many employees also reported engaging in behaviors to avoid discrimination and harassment, including hiding their LGBTQ identity and changing their physical appearance. Nearly half (46%) of LGBTQ employees said that they are not open about being LGBTQ to their current supervisor, and one-fifth (21%) are not out to any of their coworkers. LGBTQ employees who were out to at least a few coworkers and/or their supervisor were three times more likely to report experiencing discrimination (39% vs. 12%) and more than twice as likely to report harassment (42% vs. 17%) than those who were not out to anyone at work. LGBTQ employees who were out to at least someone in the workplace were four times more likely to have experienced discrimination in the past year (12% vs 3%).
More than half of LGBTQ employees (58%) reported engaging in covering behaviors at their current job to avoid harassment or discrimination related to sexual orientation or gender identity. Some employees even left their jobs or considered leaving because of unfair treatment. One-third (33%) reported that they had left a job at some point in their lives because of how their employer treated them based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Key Findings
Download the full report
Lgbt discrimination, subnational public policy, and law in the united states, title vii cases: amicus briefs, legal protections for lgbt people after bostock v. clayton county.
Kerith J. Conron & Shoshana K. Goldberg, Williams Inst., LGBT People in the US Not Protected by State NonDiscrimination Statutes 1 (2020) , https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/lgbt-nondiscrimination-statutes.
See, e.g. , Equality Act, Hearing Before the Senate Judiciary Comm., 117th Cong. (2021) (Statement of M.V. Lee Badgett), https:// williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/Testimony-Equality-Act-LGBT-Employment-Mar-2021.pdf .
Brad Sears et al., Williams Inst., LGBT People’s Experiences of Workplace Discrimination and Harassment (2021), https:// williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/Workplace-Discrimination-Sep-2021.pdf .
Bostock v. Clayton Cty, 140 S. Ct. 1731 (2020).
M.V. Lee Badgett et al., Williams Inst., The Business Impact of LGBT-Supportive Workplace Policies (2013), https:// williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/impact-lgbt-supportive-workplaces/ .
Sears et al., supra note 3.
" * " indicates required fields
Explore our resources to gain informative insights into discrimination in the workplace.
Organisations that have a positive and inclusive approach towards their employees can reap many benefits. These benefits include the ability to tap into different perspectives and skills which can boost innovation and performance.
For example, at the CIPD, we are committed to the removal of age discrimination in organisations. Our research demonstrates that age-diverse teams can benefit both employees and their organisations.
Explore our range of resources addressing discrimination in the workplace, including factsheets and case law cases.
Regularly-updated factsheets provide overviews and information on a topic
Practical resources to help you address employment law issues at work, and keep up with recent and pending legislation.
Research and analysis by experts from CIPD and partner organisations
Insight and foresight from our experts in people and the world of work
Listen to episodes from our podcast series on a range of topical workplace, HR and L&D issues.
Webinar recordings providing expert guidance
Your regular overview of current research, inspiring insights and cutting-edge ideas in bitesize
Our collected point of view on the key issues impacting work, from the perspective of employers and policy makers.
Our calls for action.
We offer a range of evidence-based courses tauilored to suit you and your needs. Our Essential Insights courses are free as part of the CIPD membership.
This thought-provoking course has been developed by Sukh Pabial, one of CIPD’s experienced Associates. People practitioners and professionals will learn how to approach and build an evidence-based organisational strategy for inclusion and diversity. Transferring their learning into day-to-day work, they will play a role in driving action for workplace behaviours that support and reinforce I&D standards.
Gain the fundamentals of employment law so you can confidently handle common employment issues that arise on a day-to-day basis.
Build your confidence by learning the fundamentals of HR and discover the importance of UK employment law, including contractual and HR policy issues.
Develop the skillset to become an employment law practitioner by learning the techniques to resolve workplace legal issues that arise during the employment journey, through a legal and compliant lens.
Choose from our extensive range of topics and learning options
Related topics
Get the latest insights on the world of work. CIPD Update includes UK and global news and events.
You can also sign up for updates from our teams in Ireland , Asia , and the Middle East .
You can unsubscribe or change your marketing preferences at any time by visiting our Marketing Preference Centre . By submitting this form you confirm that you have read our privacy policy and terms and conditions .
Language selector, ohrc social links.
Case study 1: darlene, page controls, page content.
As part of a government program, Darlene, a grade 12 graduate, got a job with a local garden nursery. She was to help Mr. M., the owner, tend plants and shrubs, place orders and serve customers.
Mr. M's first review of Darlene's work showed that she was performing all her job duties exceedingly well. It was obvious that Darlene liked the work.
Over the next three months, Mr. M's behaviour toward Darlene began to change. As they worked, he would often put his hands on her shoulders and hips or lean over closer to her. At these times, she would quickly draw away from him. He then began to make offhand remarks about how he was sick of his wife and that he needed “satisfaction” from another woman.
Darlene did not encourage the comments or actions, nor did she say anything against them. However, she was becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the situation and tried to avoid the owner as much as possible. One day, Mr. M. asked her for a kiss. When she refused, he said “I know what's wrong with you. You're scared you're going to like it.” A few days later, Mr. M. suggested that she come to his apartment to have sex with him. Darlene firmly refused, saying that she was seriously involved with her boyfriend. On several other occasions, the owner tried to get Darlene to come to his apartment.
In June, Mr. M. terminated Darlene's employment, saying he had no work for her, even though June is the busiest month of the year for the nursery.
In response to increased violence in its schools, a local school board adopted a policy prohibiting carrying weapons on school grounds. The following spring, the school administration learned that Paramvir, a Khalsa Sikh, was wearing a kirpan in school. The school wanted to implement its “no weapons” policy.
Of the estimated 250,000 Sikhs living in Canada at the time, more than 10% are Khalsa Sikhs—they have gone through the Amrit ceremony, symbolizing spiritual commitment. One of the duties of the Khalsa Sikh is to carry, at all times on his or her person, a kirpan, an article of faith symbolizing a spiritual commitment to law and morality, justice and order. A kirpan is a steel knife, encased and secured in a sheath, and generally worn out of sight under normal clothing.
After prolonged discussions with Paramvir's family and Sikh organizations, the school board amended its weapons policy to include kirpans. It forbade Sikh students to wear the kirpan to school—they could only wear a symbolic representation of the kirpan, provided it did not involve a metal blade that could be used as a weapon.
A Sikh teacher took the case to the Tribunal. At the hearing, it was argued that Sikh religious practices dictate that the kirpan must be made of iron or steel and worn at all times, otherwise the Khalsa would break their holy vows. It was shown that, while the kirpan has the appearance of a weapon, it has never been used in Canada as a weapon. Furthermore, it was argued that other school boards did not have a policy restricting kirpans.
The school board argued that:
After months of searching for a weekend job, Danté, who is Black, finally got an interview with the owner of a busy car wash and gas station. The owner seemed reluctant to hire him, but Danté managed to win him over. The owner gave him the job, saying that he would be working on a weekend shift with seven other young men, all students from the local area. The shift manager would train him on the car wash equipment.
On Danté's first day, the shift manager gave him only a few minutes of instruction on the equipment. Danté watched what the other men were doing, but when he asked questions, they were not very helpful.
Over the next few weekends, Danté concentrated on his work but because of certain events, he increasingly began to stay by himself. A few co-workers invited him to join their little group for lunch or breaks, but others consistently cracked ethnic and racial jokes, often within hearing of the shift manager. One day Danté overheard the manager say that Black people were responsible for increased violence in the community. This statement encouraged some co-workers, who had previously eaten lunch with Danté, to tell a couple of jokes about Black people. When they glanced at him as they told their jokes, he got up and walked away.
One busy Saturday afternoon, a whole section of the car wash equipment broke down because someone had allowed the system to become overheated. Danté had worked on that section until his break, when a co-worker took over. The system had broken down at some point after that.
The shift manager was furious and accused Danté of negligence. Danté replied that he believed the system was fine when he left for his break. Although Danté insisted that the equipment failure was not his fault, the shift manager fired him. Dante believed he was discriminated against because he is Black, while his co-workers and managers are White.
By age 11, Tammy had bowled for five years in the local recreation league. She and several others qualified to enter a province-wide competition sponsored by the Youth Bowling Council.
Tammy has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, but she has some movement and coordination. So she could bowl, her father built a wooden ramp, the top of which rests in Tammy's lap. She lines up the ramp towards the bowling pins and lets the ball roll down the ramp.
Just before the competition, the Council ruled that Tammy was ineligible to take part. While the Council's rules allowed persons with disabilities to use special equipment to assist them in recreational bowling (provided the equipment did not add force or speed to the ball), they prohibited the use of such equipment in competitions.
The Tribunal and later the Supreme Court of Ontario heard Tammy’s application. The Youth Bowling Council argued that it had not violated her rights under the Code , because Tammy wasn’t capable of the essential requirement of bowling—manually releasing the ball. The Council also contended that the use of special devices would make competition between the bowlers unfair, because the skills assessed would not be common to all competitors.
Tammy's lawyers argued that Tammy was bowling—she was using the ball to knock down pins. Also, the Youth Bowling Council had a duty to accommodate her under the Code by allowing her to use the ramp. Speed and accuracy tests showed that Tammy did not gain any advantage over other bowlers. Her ball speed was too low for maximum results and her accuracy no better than average.
Kyle is a young man who went to The Barking Frog, a bar in London, Ontario. He went on a “Ladies” Night,” when women are charged a lower cover charge than men. Bars across Ontario (and indeed across Canada and parts of the United States) routinely hold what are commonly called ladies’ nights, where women are charged a lower cover charge or no cover charge to enter the bar or are given discounts on their drinks. This practice has been common in Ontario and elsewhere for decades.
Kyle went to The Barking Frog, where the doorman told him the cover charge was $20 for the men but only $10 for the women in the group. Kyle was upset and was unwilling to pay the $20, so he did not enter the bar.
Kyle launched a human rights complaint claiming the different cover charges amounted to discrimination based on the ground of sex.
Rita and her family moved to the city from a remote community in the middle of the school year. Within a week, Rita was registered at the local high school and began attending classes. She travelled to and from school by school bus.
After two weeks at the new school, Rita was just beginning to settle into her classes. However, she was somewhat nervous about her history course. After her first class, the teacher made it clear that Rita had a lot of “catching up” to do, if she were to pass the course.
The following week, some students gave a presentation on Columbus' voyage in 1492 to the “New World.” There was lively discussion, and readings and prints were circulated depicting Columbus' arrival in various territories. There were several references made to “Indians and savages” that the colonists “had to defeat” to settle the New World.
As a member of the Cree Band, Rita was dismayed by the way the teacher portrayed Aboriginal persons in the presentation. She approached her teacher before class the next day to discuss the issue. As the class began, the teacher announced that Rita had concerns with the Columbus presentation. She then turned to Rita and asked her to give her version of the “Columbus discovery” from an Aboriginal point of view.
Caught off guard, Rita haltingly made several points, and then sat down quickly when several of the students began to snicker. Later that day on the bus ride home, some of the other students jeered at her, saying if she didn't like history the way it was taught, then she should drop out. She turned away and ignored them. The next day, the jeering continued in the hallway. When she went to her locker at lunch, someone had scrawled the words “gone hunting” on her locker door. Again, she ignored the curious students around her.
Rita told her parents about the incidents. They called the principal, who said she would give “hell” to the offenders. She also suggested that Rita should make more of an effort to fit in and get along with others.
Cindy, 19, applied for a job at a nursing home as a nursing aide. She had previously worked part-time as a kindergarten teacher's aide and had also cared for children with mental and physical disabilities during her high school years. In her initial interview, the assistant administrator told Cindy she was an ideal candidate and that she probably would be hired.
She was given a pre-employment medical examination for her family doctor to complete. He confirmed that she could meet the requirement of being able to lift patients.
At a second meeting, the interviewer reviewed the completed medical form and noticed Cindy's hand. During the initial interview, the assistant administrator had not observed her left hand, on which the index, middle and ring fingers were much shorter than those on most hands. Following this, the interviewer and another nursing director spent much time discussing Cindy's disability and the job requirements. Even though they both really wanted to hire Cindy, they didn’t think she would be able to cope with the gripping or clasping that is needed to lift patients.
Although Cindy said she could perform the duties and had done similar tasks in her previous job with children with disabilities, she was not hired.
When Maria began working for the packaging company in 2003, her first name was Tony. She was hired as a general labourer on August 24, 2003. In 2008, she was accepted in the gender identity clinic and began transition from living as a man to living as a woman. She started the process of sex reassignment and developed female breasts as a result of hormone treatments. Maria says that she was harassed, subjected to a poisoned work environment and dismissed – all violations of the Human Rights Code .
Maria said that Gerry, a lead hand and machine operator, played a central role in the harassment and the incident that led to her dismissal. The packing company said the allegations never happened. The company argued that it treated the applicant appropriately, considering her a man and treating her like other men until it received medical or legal documentation that she was a woman. They say they fired her because of her attitude and being involved in workplace conflicts that were her fault, as well as insubordination.
Tawney worked as a forest firefighter for the Province of British Columbia and was a member of the Initial Attack Forest Firefighting crew for a small area in the forests of BC. The crew’s job was to attack and suppress forest fires while they were small and could be easily contained. Her supervisors found her work satisfactory and had no reason to question her continuing ability to do the work safely and effectively.
After she had been successfully doing this job for three years, the government adopted a new series of fitness tests for forest firefighters. The tests were developed in response to a Coroner’s Inquest Report that recommended that only physically fit employees be assigned as front-line forest firefighters for safety reasons. The tests required that forest firefighters weigh less than 200 lbs. (with their equipment) and complete a run, an upright rowing exercise, and a pump carrying/hose dragging exercise within stipulated times.
The running test was designed to test the forest firefighters’ aerobic fitness. Subjects were required to run 2.5 kilometres in 11 minutes. After four attempts, Tawney failed to meet the aerobic standard, running the distance in 11 minutes and 49.4 seconds instead of the required 11 minutes. As a result, she was laid off.
Stating that the test unfairly discriminated against women, Tawney’s union brought a grievance on her behalf.
Based on Quebec (Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse) v. Montreal (City); Quebec (Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse) v. Boisbriand (City) , [1999] 1 SCR 381 — 1999-02-24 Supreme Court of Canada — Canada (Federal) http://canlii.ca/t/1fqmp
Réjeanne lived in Montreal. Her career goal was to become a horticulturalist. She had successfully passed a college course and completed an apprenticeship as a gardener with the city’s Botanical Gardens. When a suitable opening came up to work as a horticulturalist with the city, she immediately sent in her application.
Réjeanne was fully qualified for the position and was invited for an interview. She successfully passed the interview. However, she also had to undergo a physical check-up to confirm her suitability for the job. This check-up indicated she had a slight curvature of the spine called scoliosis . Réjeanne was surprised to learn this, as she had never experienced any symptoms from this relatively common condition. In fact, she had never experienced any pain, nor had she suffered any limitation on her because of her condition. A later evaluation showed that Réjeanne was able to perform all the duties of a gardener-horticulturalist in complete safety to herself and others, and that there was no need to limit her duties.
When it became aware of Réjeanne’s condition, the city decided to hire another candidate who it thought would be less of a risk for back problems and therefore unlikely to incur increased health care costs later on. The city rationalized its decision saying that it had the right and even the responsibility to employ individuals who would pose the least potential cost to taxpayers.
Believing the city had rejected her application because of a handicap, Réjeanne made a complaint to the Human Rights Tribunal. Réjeanne alleged that the city acted in a discriminatory way that deprived her of unemployment insurance benefits, caused her a high level of stress and deeply humiliated her. The city responded that because Réjeanne had no functional limitations, it could not be said that she had a disability under Quebec’s Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms .
There are many people in Ontario who are deaf, deafened or hard of hearing. Some people may use sign language as their first language or preferred means of communication, and their inability in English will seriously impede their ability to communicate unless aided by interpretation. For these Ontarians, effective communication and getting fair access to services and employment is very hard.
Alia and Ahmed are parents who were both born deaf. They were expecting twins and would usually provide their own sign language interpreters for their medical visits. Unless an interpreter was present, communicating information was often frustrating for them. At the same time, any miscommunication about medical information could be dangerous.
Alia went into labour eight months into her pregnancy. She and her husband found themselves at the hospital without the aid of an interpreter. Neither the attending doctor nor the nurses could effectively communicate with the parents, who found this isolation difficult and frightening. After the babies were born, they were immediately taken away from the delivery room and put under observation in another area of the hospital. One nurse wrote on a piece of paper that the children were “fine.” Otherwise, no one gave any details about the twins’ condition to either Alia or Ahmed.
In their human rights complaint, Alia and Ahmed alleged that the hospital was providing unequal services because it did not accommodate their needs as deaf persons. The hospital replied that it was too hard to bring in interpreters on such short notice, and that it was too expensive to keep interpreters on call 24 hours a day.
Marc is a gay 17-year-old student attending a publicly-funded Catholic high school. He wishes to go to the prom with a same-sex date. The prom is being held at a rental hall off school property.
The school principal and the Catholic School Board have said no on the grounds that this would be endorsing conduct contrary to the church’s teachings. Marc believes that this is a violation of his human rights. He is considering seeking a court injunction because the prom is only weeks away.
Lessons on how to lead when stereotypes run rampant. by Nicole D. Smith
Ageism is alive and well in the workplace. In fact, studies show almost 65% of workers say they have experienced age-based discrimination. But even though it’s common, leaders can recognize and combat ageism to make organizations equitable, supportive, and inclusive. In this article, one manager shares her experience of working in an ageist culture and learning to overcome bias against age.
A few years back, I decided to chat with one of my team members, a man in his late fifties. I had recently started a new position as a manager — was just a few weeks on the job — and I wanted to see how people were adjusting to the change.
HR Daily Advisor
Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Case study: employee challenges dei training video—but neglects to watch it.
Updated: Sep 13, 2024
Biggest loser.
Leave a reply cancel reply.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Such alleged conduct violates the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, which prohibits discriminating against individuals because they are age 40 or older. 4. DENVER, CO —A manufacturer will pay $100,00 and furnish additional relief to settle a discrimination and retaliation lawsuit from the EEOC. What went wrong:
Workplace discrimination. Follow this topic. ... Leadership & Managing People Case Study. ... In Differences at Work: Erica (B) HBS Case No. 9-408-048, Erica discovers that both she and the client ...
In fact, more than 25% of workers in the UK have reported having experienced workplace discrimination in some form, according to a study conducted by Sky to mark National Inclusion Week in 2018 which identified that prejudice towards gender, race and age remains fairly commonplace in UK businesses.
Management must balance the need to create a work environment free of racial discrimination with a simultaneous commitment to "ensure workplaces are free of racial exclusion and subordination ...
getty. Last month, a jury in Texas delivered a stunning $70 million verdict in favor of 10 employees who worked for Glow Networks. Nine of the ten plaintiffs were Black employees. The case ...
J. Neil Bearden is an associate professor at INSEAD. A version of this article appeared in the May-June 2019 issue of Harvard Business Review. A salesperson wonders how to respond to a colleague ...
Workplace discrimination. Follow this topic. ... Global Business Case Study. Lynn Sharp Paine; ... In Differences at Work: Erica (A) HBS Case No. 9-408-015 Erica, a junior sales person, has just ...
Abstract. Research on workplace discrimination has tended to focus on a singular axis of inequality or a discrete type of closure, with much less attention to how positional and relational power within the employment context can bolster or mitigate vulnerability. In this article, the author draws on nearly 6,000 full-time workers from five ...
Labor & Employment Supreme Court Cases. Many of the labor and employment cases that have reached the Supreme Court involve claims of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation in the workplace. These may arise under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits adverse employment actions based on the race, color, religion, sex, or ...
First, as many of the studies cited in the previous section illustrated, racial and ethnic discrimination commonly co-occurs with discrimination based on migration status, foreign national origin, social class, and other characteristics, highlighting the cumulative and often intersectional impacts of key facets of identity on work-related ...
We can help you assess whether you have a discrimination claim and secure any compensation you are owed. You can use the button below to schedule a call back from a member of our team, or give us a call at 781-784-2322. Explore compelling age discrimination case studies highlighting real-life instances of workplace bias and injustice.
When I requested to have it online, rather than face-to-face, I was shocked when the interviewer went on to ghost me. Before my request for an online interview I was told I was a strong candidate ...
Story Highlights. Workplace discrimination causes disengagement and undermines wellbeing. Discrimination has a more pervasive effect on Black and Hispanic workers. Greater inclusivity starts with ...
Cases On The Rise. According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, there were more than 21,000 filed charges of sex discrimination in fiscal year 2020, up by more than 31% from 2019 ...
T he recent civic unrest in the United States following the death of George Floyd has elevated the urgency to recognize and study issues of diversity and the needs of underrepresented groups in all aspects of public life.. Business schools—and educational institutions across the spectrum—are no exception. It's vital that educators facilitate safe and productive dialogue with students ...
You can read more about some recent EEOC cases involving teen workers by following any of the links below. Two young men report sexual harassment at New Jersey grocery store. 19-year-old manager accused of harassing 16-year-old employee at Pennsylvania Mexican restaurant. 14-year-old girl complains about sexual harassment and assault by manager ...
New research examines gender bias within four industries with more female than male workers — law, higher education, faith-based nonprofits, and health care. Having balanced or even greater ...
Executive Summary. Over 8 million workers in the U.S. identify as LGBT. 1 Employment discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity have been widely documented. 2 Recent research has found that LGBTQ people continue to face mistreatment in the workplace, 3 even after the U.S. Supreme Court held in 2020 that discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender ...
For example, at the CIPD, we are committed to the removal of age discrimination in organisations. Our research demonstrates that age-diverse teams can benefit both employees and their organisations. Explore our range of resources addressing discrimination in the workplace, including factsheets and case law cases. All topics A-Z.
Case study 1: Darlene. Printer-friendly version. Previous. As part of a government program, Darlene, a grade 12 graduate, got a job with a local garden nursery. She was to help Mr. M., the owner, tend plants and shrubs, place orders and serve customers. Mr. M's first review of Darlene's work showed that she was performing all her job duties ...
I Was a Manager in an Ageist Workplace. Ageism is alive and well in the workplace. In fact, studies show almost 65% of workers say they have experienced age-based discrimination. But even though ...
Rebel Without a Cause. Charles Vavra, who is white, worked for Honeywell International, Inc., in a business unit headed by John Waldron. In September 2020, just months after the nationwide protests spawned by George Floyd's killing by police officers in Minneapolis, Waldron sent an email to all of his employees, including Vavra, in reaction to a grand jury's decision not to indict police ...
Best practices for preventing workplace discrimination. There are many strategies to prevent workplace discrimination, but they boil down to: 1. Treat employees equally and with respect. 2. Keep accurate records so you can ensure fairness in your hiring, promotion, and firing practices. 3.
• discrimination and harassment • stereotyping and assumptions • power relationships between people • workplace atmosphere and productivity levels • the potential losses to business due to conflict • the impact on the person's job and career opportunities. Case study 1 Alexandra is an apprentice chef at Cafe Claude's.