Federal and state laws prohibit race harassment
in every stage of employment. The race-related
harassing acts are when an employee is subjected
to racial insults, racial jokes, or offensive
comments or remarks based on race, or when
he/she is intimidated, threatened, or shown
hostility or physical violence, because
of his/her different race, color, etc. Also
included: Derogatory, insulting, or lewd remarks or
gestures made by a person to another, which have the
effect of threatening and degrading the victim; derogatory
remarks or actions relating to an individual’s
race, ethnic origin, nationality, or skin color, and
the victim considers the remarks unacceptable, creating
an offensive work environment or interfering with
the victim’s work performance.
Extreme forms of harassment—such as physical
assault, which constitutes an offense in criminal
law—are clearly recognizable. But harassment
can also appear in more subtle ways. In some cases,
it can be unintentional on the perpetrator’s
part.
Examples of behavior which could be classified as
race-related harassment include:
 |
insensitive jokes; |
|
lewd comments about appearance; |
|
derogatory or degrading abuse;
insults which are gender-related or of a racial
nature; offensive comments about dress, appearance,
physique, hygiene, etc. |
|
isolation or non- cooperation
at work; exclusion from social activities; |
|
verbal or written harassment
through jokes, offensive language, gossip, slander,
or letters; |
|
persistent criticism; personal
abuse; bullying; ridicule; or persistent downgrading
by those in positions of power. |
Race-related harassment is prohibited
under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The
employee has the full right to file his/her complaint
with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC),
if his/her plea to stop the inappropriate behavior,
in a complaint to a senior authority, goes unheard
and harassment continues.
