Workplace Discrimination Experiences Research Articles

Differences in Americans with Disabilities Act Title I discrimination allegations filed by people with learning disabilities and other disabilities

BACKGROUND: Workers with learning disabilities (LD) report many barriers to employment, including discrimination on the part of employers. OBJECTIVE: To compare the workplace discrimination experiences of workers with LD to those of people with other disabilities. METHOD: The comparison of the two groups, people with LD and people with other disabilities, concerned three factors: Characteristics of Charging Parties, prominent issues involving the nature of the discrimination allegation, and the outcomes of EEOC investigations at the time of case closure. An ex post facto, causal-comparative quantitative design was used to examine allegations closed following the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAA). RESULTS: Results revealed statistically significant differences in characteristics of the Charging Parties in the two groups. The LD group was significantly younger, more Caucasian, and more male than general population disabilities (GENDIS). The LD group was less African American, Latina/o, or Asian than GENDIS. Regarding the nature of allegations, the substance of allegations made by the LD group was more likely to involve matters of disability harassment, discipline, hiring, constructive discharge, training, and promotion. The LD group was less likely to file allegations involving reasonable accommodation, assignment, and layoff. CONCLUSION: Workers with learning disabilities experience high rates of employment discrimination, and the types of discrimination they experience are different than those experienced by people with other disabilities.

What drives job satisfaction among community pharmacists? An application of relative importance analysis

BackgroundPharmacy employers want to improve pharmacists' job satisfaction, but ratings of job satisfaction are highly subjective, as evaluating job satisfaction involves weighing simultaneously the importance of multiple correlated determinants that are often perceived unequally. ObjectivesTo 1) describe the application of relative importance analysis in estimating the predictive ability of correlated determinants of job satisfaction, and to rank the determinants in order of relative importance, and 2) explore how the perceived relative importance of job satisfaction predictors may vary across community pharmacists' age, gender, and work setting categories. MethodsData were obtained from the 2019 National Pharmacy Workforce Survey administered to 96,110 licensed U.S. pharmacists. Multiple regression analysis (MR) and relative weight analysis (RWA) were used to assess the predictive ability of determinants to explain pharmacists' job satisfaction. Subgroup analyses were performed to explore variations in the perceived relative importance of predictors across pharmacists' age, gender and work setting categories. ResultsOver the entire sample of community pharmacists, no personal experience of workplace discrimination [RW = 0.0613, rank = 1] and less reported engagement in advanced dispensing activities [RW = 0.0235, rank = 2] were most associated with greater job satisfaction, as both predictors jointly accounted for 67.5% of the predicted criterion variance (R2). Pharmacists' compensation was observed to have the lowest perceived relative importance for predicting job satisfaction [RW = 0.0005, rank = 6], accounting for 0.5% of R2. Between-group comparisons showed that, no personal experience of workplace discrimination had the highest perceived relative importance for job satisfaction across pharmacists' age groups, among women, and across most work settings except small chain pharmacies. Within-group comparisons showed that pharmacists' compensation was significantly more important than professional interactions (ΔRW(PC-PPI) 0.2900 [0.0637, 0.5360]) for job satisfaction among pharmacists in large chain pharmacies, while patient-care services was significantly more important than compensation for job satisfaction in independent (ΔRW(PPS-PC) 0.1761 [0.0017, 0.5980]) and health system retail pharmacists (ΔRW(PPS-PC) 0.4190 [0.0444, 0.8303]). ConclusionsRelative importance analysis corroborated multiple regression and provided a more interpretable presentation of variable influence on community pharmacists job satisfaction as the importance of personal and workplace characteristics in how pharmacists evaluate their job satisfaction varied across age, gender and work setting categories.

The missing middle: Asian employees' experience of workplace discrimination and pro-black allyship.

Asian employees occupy an intermediate status in the U.S. racial hierarchy between White and Black employees. Given this intermediate position, it is unclear whether and how Asian employees' own racial experience at work will affect their willingness to take action against racism toward other groups. In the current research, we examine how Asian employees' experiences of racism impact their propensity to combat racism against Black coworkers. Across four studies including a qualitative survey (Pilot), a time-lagged quantitative survey (Study 1), a preregistered experiment (Study 2), and a conceptual replication experiment (Study 3), we find that Asian employees who experience more racial discrimination at work feel more similar to Black individuals, which is subsequently associated with greater allyship toward Black coworkers. We find that this relationship is heightened among Asian employees who have stronger zero-sum beliefs (Study 1). Importantly, we further find that processes that lead to allyship among Asian employees differ among White employees (Studies 2-3): In contrast to Asian employees, White employees who perceive more anti-in-group workplace discrimination feel less similar to Black individuals, which is associated with diminished pro-Black allyship. By examining the poorly understood racial experiences of Asian employees, and uncovering mechanisms that propel Asian employees to engage in intergroup allyship, we provide a more complete picture of racism in the workplace. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Formally comparing topic models and human-generated qualitative coding of physician mothers’ experiences of workplace discrimination

Differences between computationally generated and human-generated themes in unstructured text are important to understand yet difficult to assess formally. In this study, we bridge these approaches through two contributions. First, we formally compare a primarily computational approach, topic modeling, to a primarily human-driven approach, qualitative thematic coding, in an impactful context: physician mothers’ experience of workplace discrimination. Second, we compare our chosen topic model to a principled alternative topic model to make explicit study design decisions meriting consideration in future research. By formally contrasting computationally generated (i.e. topic modeling) and human-generated (i.e. thematic coding) knowledge, we shed light on issues of interest to several audiences, notably computational social scientists who wish to understand study design tradeoffs, and qualitative researchers who may wish to leverage computational methods to improve the speed and reproducibility of labor-intensive coding. Although useful in other domains, we highlight the value of fast, reproducible methods to better understand experiences of workplace discrimination.

Supplemental Material for The Missing Middle: Asian Employees’ Experience of Workplace Discrimination and Pro-Black Allyship

Supplemental Material for The Missing Middle: Asian Employees’ Experience of Workplace Discrimination and Pro-Black Allyship

The Workplace Discrimination Experiences of Americans with Disabilities: An Examination of Midwestern States

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to examine the workplace discrimination experiences of individuals with disabilities residing in the Midwest by exploring their allegations filed under Title I of the ADA from 1992 through 2016.ObjectiveThe goals of this article are to describe region- and state-level patterns in workplace discrimination and to provide valuable information to stakeholders to better understand and address the issues within their respective areas of practice.MethodsUsing population level data of every available closed discrimination allegation filed under Title I of the ADA from its effectuation (January 26, 1992) through the most recent available data (December 31, 2016), descriptive statistics were obtained for each state within the Midwest for each of the five specific research questions. Data for each state represent the overall frequencies and proportions for each state and are presented in the context of their respective national and regional rankings for comparison purposes.Results

Workplace discrimination allegations and outcomes involving Caucasian Americans, African Americans, and Hispanic/Latinx Americans with multiple sclerosis: A causal comparative analysis

BACKGROUND: Although African Americans and Hispanic/Latinx Americans with multiple sclerosis (MS) frequently cite workplace discrimination as a major concern, the specific nature of this discrimination is not yet well understood. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate racial/ethnic differences in allegations of workplace discrimination by Caucasian, African American, and Hispanic/Latinx American individuals with MS. METHODS: The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Integrated Mission System (IMS) database was used to describe and compare the frequency and characteristics of discrimination allegations filed by people with MS in the three race/ethnicity groups. Quantitative analyses, including a one-way analysis of variance and Chi-square tests, were used to examine 2009–2016 Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) Title I complaints. These complaints were received by the EEOC from people with MS who identified themselves as Caucasian, African American, and Hispanic/Latinx American (N = 3,770). RESULTS: Both African Americans and Hispanic/Latinx Americans tended to encounter discrimination at a younger age than Caucasian Americans. African American and Hispanic/Latinx American charging parties were more likely to be women than were Caucasian charging parties. The size and location of employers against whom allegations were filed varied significantly among the three racial/ethnic groups. The EEOC was more likely to resolve allegations in the charging parties’ favor when the allegations were filed by Caucasians. CONCLUSION: The present study revealed modest but significant differences in the workplace discrimination experiences of the three groups under study. More research is needed to determine why racial/ethnic status bears on the discrimination experiences of Americans with MS.

Diversity for Tokenism? Moderating Effect of Fairness on Token-Gender and Workplace Discrimination

Based on tokenism theory, this study investigates how employees’ experience of workplace discrimination differs in settings of employee gender status in specific gender dominated or gender diversified jobs. We also examine whether the effect of the employee gender status such as minority or diversity status (e.g., minority status: female employee in male-dominated jobs) on workplace discrimination is influenced by organizational fairness. Using a dataset of 23,474 employees, we find that female employees who work in a male-dominated (minority status) and gender-diversified (neutral status) jobs have greater experiences for workplace discrimination, while male employees who work in the female-dominated jobs tend to have less workplace discrimination. In addition, our findings show that female employees who work in male-dominated jobs have lower workplace discrimination when they work in organizations with greater fairness. Our study contributes to literature on gender diversity and gender minority by demonstrating tokenism of gender diversity and the role of organizational fairness.

Workplace Discrimination Experiences of Americans With Alcohol Use Disorders and Americans With Drug Use Disorders: A Comparative Analysis

The purpose of this study was to investigate the patterns in allegations of workplace discrimination by individuals with alcohol use disorders (AUDs) relative to those with other drug use disorders (DUD). The goal of the research was to describe the uniqueness of workplace discrimination, both actual and perceived, that has occurred against individuals with AUD when compared to those with DUD through analysis of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Integrated Mission System (IMS) database. An ex post facto, causal comparative quantitative design was used to examine Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) Title I complaints received by the EEOC from individuals with AUD ( n = 2,123) from 2009 through 2016 in comparison to ADAAA Title I complaints received from individuals with DUD ( n = 1,472) over the same time period. Results revealed statistically significant differences in the patterns of issues alleged by the two groups. The AUD charging parties (individuals who filed the complaints) were, on average, significantly older and involved fewer African Americans than did the DUD comparison group. Individuals with AUD were significantly less likely than the DUD group to achieve merit closures when investigations were completed. This means that the DUD group’s investigations were more often closed as favorable to the charging party. Implications for rehabilitation practice and further research are discussed.

Comparing the Workplace Discrimination Experiences of Older and Younger Workers With Multiple Sclerosis Under the Americans With Disabilities Act Amendments Act

BackgroundIn this study, investigators examined the employment discrimination experiences of older workers (55 and over) with multiple sclerosis (MS) in comparison to younger adult workers with MS.ObjectiveTo examine age as a differential indicator of demographic characteristics of the Charging Parties, the discrimination issues alleged to occur, and the legal outcome of allegation investigations.MethodsThe study utilized data from the Integrated Mission System of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).ResultsFindings indicate that allegations filed by older Charging Parties with MS were more likely to come from Whites and Native Americans/Alaskan Natives. Allegations filed by older Charging Parties were less likely to come from African Americans. Allegations filed by older workers were less likely to involve reasonable accommodations and more likely to involve issues related to demotion. No significant differences were observed related to the types of case resolutions between the two groups.ConclusionsResults suggest that many of the workplace discrimination experiences of people with MS are common across age groups, indicating that the very presence of MS is likely the most salient factor in the discrimination experiences of Americans with MS. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.

Patterns of workplace discrimination across broad categories of disability.

The aim of this study was twofold: (a) to explore patterns of discrimination in relation to broad-basis categories of disability and (b) to investigate patterns of discrimination between allegations derived from charging parties with sensory impairments versus those with nonsensory impairments. Basis categories included physical, behavioral, neurological, and sensory impairments. Database mining, descriptive analysis, and Pearson's chi-square analyses were utilized to compare broad-basis categories. In general, regardless of disability type, individuals experience the highest frequency and proportion of workplace discrimination in the areas of termination and reasonable accommodations. However, there are significant differences in the workplace discrimination experiences of the four broader groups. Noteworthy differences exist regarding the experience of workplace discrimination among basis categories of disability, especially with respect to sensory impairment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Physician mothers’ experience of workplace discrimination: a qualitative analysis

ObjectivesTo report woman physicians’ experiences, in their own words, of discrimination based on their role as a mother.DesignQualitative analysis of physician mothers’ free-text responses to the open question: “We want...

Association between workplace discrimination and depressive symptoms among firefighters in South Korea.

Workplace discrimination is associated with poor mental health. However, there is a lack of studies examining the effects of discrimination on depressive symptoms among firefighters. We analyzed a national cross-sectional survey of 6369 firefighters in South Korea. Workplace discrimination during the past year was measured and main reasons for the discriminatory experience (gender, birth region, age, education, field/office work, job division) were identified separately by gender and job division. Depressive symptoms during the previous week were measured by the CES-D11. Overall, 30.3% of firefighters experienced workplace discrimination and the main reasons for discrimination differed by gender and job division. Firefighters who experienced workplace discrimination had a higher likelihood of depressive symptoms than those who did not after adjusting for potential confounders (PR: 1.73; 95%CI: 1.55, 1.92). This finding suggests that experience of workplace discrimination could aggravate the mental health of firefighters who provide an important public service.

Gender Still Matters: Effects of Workplace Discrimination on Employment Schedules of Young Professionals

The influx of women into the legal profession has significantly changed the landscape of legal practice. Women lawyers today no longer face the challenges to entering the legal profession they encountered thirty years ago. However, despite these advancements, research continues to demonstrate that there are still gender-based issues women have to face in the legal workplace. Among these issues to date are the difficulties in combining responsibilities of work with responsibilities of families and children that underpin women’s employment and earning disadvantages. Using survey data from a national representative U.S. panel study of lawyers, we examine how work schedules, comparing full-time to part-time work, vary by personal disposition and workplace characteristics. Drawing from prominent explanations of gender inequality in the legal profession, we focus on inquiries of commitment to work, performance, ideal worker expectations, practice settings, and job satisfaction among dimensions of workplace characteristics and examine their effects on women and men lawyers’ work schedules. Logistic regression results show that work schedules significantly vary by gender, parental role, and experience of workplace discrimination. We find that, although all parents experience types of discrimination, there are still major differences in work schedules between mothers and fathers. Our study adds to the gender debate of employment and organizations by examining quantitatively experiences of workplace discrimination.

Perceived discrimination and low back pain among 28,532 workers in South Korea: Effect modification by labor union status

ObjectivesThis study investigated the association between workplace discrimination and low back pain among Korean workers and explored the role of labor union in the association. MethodsWe analyzed a cross-sectional survey of 28,532 workers from the 3rd Korean Working Conditions Survey (2011), a nationally representative dataset in South Korea. Experience of workplace discrimination for five different reasons was assessed using the questions: “Over the past 12 months, have you ever experienced workplace discrimination based on your: (a) age, (b) education, (c) birth region, (d) sex, and (e) employment status?” Experience of low back pain within a 12 month period was measured using a yes/no question. Labor union membership was coded into three categories: (1) workers at workplaces without a labor union; (2) workers without union membership at workplaces with a labor union; (3) workers with union membership. ResultsIn workplaces without a labor union, low back pain was statistically significantly associated with workplace discrimination based on age (OR: 2.02, 95% CI: 1.73, 2.35), education (OR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.23, 1.71), birth region (OR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.10, 1.84), sex (OR: 2.22, 95% CI: 1.81, 2.73), and employment status (OR: 2.33, 95% CI: 1.99, 2.72) after adjusting for covariates including physical work factors. However, no significant association was observed among workers at workplaces with a labor union regardless of workers’ union membership. ConclusionsWorkplace discrimination was associated with low back pain only in workplaces without a labor union. Presence of labor union at workplaces may have a protective effect on workers’ low back pain against workplace discrimination.

The workplace discrimination experiences of middle-age and younger adult workers with disabilities: Results from the National EEOC ADA Research Project

The workplace discrimination experiences of middle-age and younger adult workers with disabilities: Results from the National EEOC ADA Research Project

The workplace discrimination experiences of people with multiple sclerosis across three phases of Americans with Disabilities Act implementation

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the experiences with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) of adults with multiple sclerosis (MS) across three phases of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) implementation: Phase I (pre-Sutton decision era, 1992–1999), Phase II (Sutton decision era, 2000–2008), and Phase III (ADA Amendments Act era, 2009–2011). OBJECTIVE: Research questions addressed differential (a) characteristics of charging parties and respondents, (b) patterns in the number and type of allegations, and (c) proportions of merit and non-merit EEOC judgments. METHODS: The study utilized data from the Integrated Mission System of the U.S. EEOC. RESULTS: Findings indicated that proportionally more women and Hispanic adults with MS filed claims during Phases II and III than during Phase I. More older individuals and African Americans with MS filed claims during Phase III than during Phases I and II. In Phase I, adults with MS were more likely to allege discrimination against smaller employers and less likely to file charges against larger employers, a trend that reversed during Phases II and III. The annual number of resolved EEOC charges appeared to increase during Phase I, increase then decrease in Phase II, and increase during Phase III. Regardless of phase, most allegations pertained to either unlawful discharge or failure to provide reasonable accommodations. Although higher in Phase III than in I, the percentage of EEOC merit decisions was highest in Phase II. CONCLUSION: Over time, more typically disenfranchised individuals sought ADA protections, possibly due to publicity, support from advocates, and membership in a culture supporting diversity and nondiscrimination. The increased number of resolved allegations in Phase III was consistent with the greater inclusiveness attributed to the ADA Amendments Act. Interpretation of other findings is provided regarding characteristics of respondents, types of allegations, and trends in EEOC merit decisions.

Discrimination des minorités sexuelles et de genre au travail : quelles implications pour la santé mentale ?

Despite legislative advances in terms of workplace equality for sexual and gender minorities (SGM), available data ascertains the persistence of workplace discrimination of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and especially of transgender/transsexual employees. This article, based on an extensive literature review, explores the relationship between different types of workplace discrimination experiences and their impacts on the mental health of SGM and of different sub-populations: men who have sex with men, non-heterosexual women, lesbian and gay parents, and trans people. Furthermore, the article explores certain individual and systemic protection and risk factors that have an impact on this relationship, such as coming-out at work and organisational support. Finally, the existing literature on workplace discrimination and mental health of sexual and gender minorities highlights the importance, in the current legal and social context, of intersectional approaches and of research on homo- and trans-negative microaggressions. The article ends with a discussion on the implications for practice, research, and workplace settings, as well as with several recommendations for these settings.

The workplace discrimination experiences of older workers with disabilities: Results from the national EEOC ADA research project

The workplace discrimination experiences of older workers with disabilities: Results from the national EEOC ADA research project

Proactive Responding to Anticipated Discrimination Based on Chronic Illness: Double-Edged Sword?

Purpose Proactive strategies for avoiding stigmatization may prevent work-related discrimination (Singletary and Hebl J Appl Psychol 94:797–805, 2009), yet these strategies may also cause strain in the stigmatized. We tested a model in which previous workplace discrimination experiences and anticipated future workplace discrimination related to proactive responses (compensatory behaviors and concealing behaviors), which, in turn, related to job tension.