Comment each of the following two posts substantive comments should be scholarly, probing, extend the conversation by beginning a dialogue, and continue exploring the concepts

I. National Origin discrimination is when an applicant or employee is subject to unfavorable treatment due to their ethnicity, accent, or because they are from another country or a particular part of the world. It also includes treating someone who is married to someone from another country unfairly and even if the person causing the discrimination is of the same national origin. The law does not allow discrimination for anything related to employment, which includes hiring, firing, pay, promotions, and any other term or condition of employment. Harassment can come from a supervisor, coworker and even a customer. What I found most surprising is that the law does not prohibit teasing, off-hand comments, or isolated incidents. I chose this particular portion of the discrimination law because it has been my experience, while living in NC, that derogatory comments regarding individuals that are not from the south occur almost daily in the workplace and appear to be acceptable behavior. I have also witnessed a coworker using racially derogatory remarks to and about other coworkers and/or individuals in general and after reporting the employee to management it was brushed off as though the comments were "ok". While I fully agree with the law and feel that employers should abide by it, I have not yet experienced it actually being upheld which I find very sad.

II.

Upon visiting the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s website, I became highly interested in pregnancy discrimination. This is the act of treating a woman, whether she is an applicant or employee, unfavorable because of pregnancy, childbirth, or a medical condition that is related. This means that hiring and firing decisions cannot be based on these concepts. It also means that pay, job assignments, promotions, and training cannot be affected by childbirth, pregnancy, or related medical conditions. Another thing that cannot be affected by these factors are benefits, such as health insurance and leave. Under the PDA, or Pregnancy Discrimination Act, women that are pregnant should be treated as a temporarily disabled employee. Therefore, employers must supply alternative options for the pregnant women just as they do for the disabled. These alternatives include substituting assignments, providing a lighter workload, disability leave, and unpaid leave.

Along with making sure that the proper changes has been made for the employee, there is still the possibility of a hostile or offensive work environment that can occur when an employee is pregnant. This concept is called pregnancy harassment and had its own section within the information on pregnancy discrimination. Harassment can derive from supervisors, coworkers, client, or customers; it is unlawful and must be put to an end when recognized.

Finally in 1993 an act was written called the Family and Medical Leave Act. This act allows the employee to possibly be eligible for twelve weeks leave, paid or unpaid– however, there are some stipulations. With this act the employee must have been working at the company for at least twelve months in order to receive the time. Also, this is based on the amount of employees that are currently working as employees at the company. Overall, managers at all levels must be aware and look for signs of pregnancy discrimination and harassment. It will be their duty to take preventive measures and also address the issues that do arise.