Direct Discrimination
Direct Discrimination involves treating an employee or job applicant less favorably than others because of their race or ethnicity. It’s the most overt and intentional form of racial discrimination, where individuals are treated unfairly based explicitly on their race or ethnicity.
What does it include?
- Race-Based Exclusion: Direct discrimination includes refusing to hire or promote qualified candidates based solely on their race, disregarding their qualifications or merit.
- Position Assignments: This involves assigning employees of color to less desirable or lower-paying positions solely based on their race or ethnicity rather than their skills or capabilities.
- Harsher Treatment: Disciplining or terminating employees of color more harshly for the same offenses as white employees, indicating bias in disciplinary actions.
Severe Effects
- Proving Intent: Proving discriminatory intent can be challenging, as perpetrators may disguise their motives or use other pretexts.
- Persistence of Discrimination: Even after addressing direct discrimination, biases may persist in more subtle forms or other organizational practices.
- Victim Challenges: Victims may face difficulty challenging discriminatory actions or decisions due to power dynamics or fear of retaliation.
For instance, a manager refuses to promote a highly qualified employee of color despite meeting all criteria, instead promoting a less qualified white colleague, explicitly stating that they don’t want “too much diversity” in managerial positions.