Retaliation Rampant in Tech Jobs

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects against various types of employment discrimination including race, sex, gender, religion and national origin discrimination. It also protects employees from retaliation from complaining about discrimination – even if the underlying discrimination complained of is ultimately not proven. The purpose behind retaliation laws is to bolster the enforcement of discrimination laws by encouraging those who face discrimination at work to come forward, without fear of retribution.

Unfortunately, in the tech world, this is not the case. A recent report found that nearly half of all tech employees who complained of employment discrimination, whether sexual harassment, race discrimination or gender discrimination, encountered back lash from management. Types of retaliatory acts ranged from terminating employees who complained, to giving them worse/fewer shifts and transferring them to less desirable locations.

One outcome of this study was to highlight the need for a good hr department – one that appropriately handles and works to eliminate workplace harassment and discrimination rather than simply protecting the company to the detriment of the complaining employee. On the upside, studies show that having a thoughtful and proactive Human Resources department that addresses employee concerns and creates a more harmonious work environment to benefits both the company and employee.

For more information or if you have faced any type of workplace discrimination or retaliation, please contact the dedicated Atlanta wage and hour lawyers at Buckley Bala Wilson Mew LLP for an immediate case evaluation.