A January of 2021 study by the Gallup Center on Black Voices analyzed the results of polling completed in November and early December of 2020. This polling consisted of a large-scale web survey of over 8,000 respondents. Although polling isn’t always an accurate reflection of reality, the Gallup organization is one of the most trusted and trustworthy polling operations in the U.S. Therefore, if there is polling to be trusted, Gallup’s surveys are generally among them. The results of this January study in question found that approximately one out of every four Black or Hispanic workers has faced workplace discrimination within the past year. Not ever – within the past year. Whether every individual’s perception of discrimination meets the legal definition of the term is hardly the point. The point is that within the past year, in the United States, one out of every Black and Hispanic worker contributing to the economy that fuels our nation has felt the pain, frustration, anxiety, and confusion that tends to accompany workplace discrimination.

Additional Findings

It is important to place the findings of the Gallup Study in a broader context. After all, if every American worker subcategory is feeling the brunt of employment discrimination, the origins of that discriminatory treatment may not rest in race but in some sort of emerging, unhealthy power dynamic or a response to the stresses of the pandemic. However, it does appear that certain segments of the population are feeling the effects of workplace discrimination at different rates. While one out of every four Black or Hispanic workers reports having been subjected to workplace discrimination within the past year, only 15 percent of white respondents reported the same.

When explaining why they had felt discriminated against in the workplace, 52 percent of respondents reported that their mistreatment was rooted in their race. Those who cited race as the cause of their mistreatment included 75 percent of Black respondents, 61 percent of Hispanic respondents, and 42 percent of white respondents. These findings support the conclusion that Black and Hispanic workers are, at very least consistent with their understanding of what it means to be discriminated against in the workplace, experiencing significant rates of racial discrimination while on the job.

A Broader Pattern

On December 11, then president-elect Joe Biden delivered remarks in the wake of announcing additions to his administration’s governing team. During these remarks, Biden observed that, "The Black and Latino unemployment gap remains too large and communities of color are left to ask whether they will ever be able to break the cycle where in good times they lag, in bad times they are hit first and the hardest, and in recovery they take the longest to bounce back." He further observed that the pandemic, the economic fallout from the pandemic, and the injustices that led to nationwide protests during the Summer of 2020, “have ripped the blinders off the systemic racism in America.”

In response to these challenges, the Biden administration has pledged to take action that promises to help address some of the inequities that remain prevalent in the American workforce for people of color. According to USA Today, among these promised actions is empowerment of the “Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to more forcefully root out discrimination in the workplace.” Granting greater authority to the EEOC to address racial discrimination that has already affected American workplaces will not solve the root causes that lead to this mistreatment in the first place. However, this step is a vital one, as speaking up and out when discrimination occurs does help to hold individual employers accountable for unlawful mistreatment and can help to stop discrimination in its tracks in specific workplaces. Additionally, just as widespread crackdowns on worker safety hazards in certain industries tend to pave the way for safer workplaces generally, cracking down on race discrimination in the workplace where it is most prevalent may lead to a more equitable American industry overall.

Next Steps

Polls that identify how widespread the issue of racial discrimination in the U.S. workforce remains and enacting proposals that attempt to address some of these inequities are both important steps in the right direction. However, as Arisha Hatch, vice president and chief of campaigns for the racial justice group Color of Change recently told USA Today, to “rectify racial and socioeconomic disparities that exist within Black communities, (the Biden Administration) need(s) to address the root causes of these issues… With the systemic racism that has locked us out of job opportunities, education, and access to health care, it’s going to take more than well-intentioned plans to close the racial wealth gap for Black communities." In short, race discrimination in the workplace is a symptom of systematic inequalities present in every major corner of American society. To effect lasting change in the workplace, policies and practices must be altered wherever and whenever racism threatens to undermine the equality of opportunity that the U.S. professes to stand for.

All too often, victims of racial discrimination in the workplace fail to speak out about their experience due to fear of retaliation, and/or fear that their stories will not be met with the kinds of compassion, determination for change, and seriousness of purpose demanded of such experience. For now, it remains critical for victims of discrimination to speak up – even if “just” in a confidential setting with an attorney who will treat their stories with the respect that they deserve – to ensure that progress is made, one step at a time.

Legal Assistance Is Available

If you believe that you are being mistreated at work on account of your race or other protected classification, please don’t suffer in silence. Schedule a confidential, “no strings attached” consultation with our firm at no cost. During this meeting, we’ll listen to the details of your situation and provide you with guidance personalized uniquely for your circumstances. Depending on the kinds of discrimination you’re facing, you may be entitled to compensation and/or other forms of legal recourse. We look forward to discussing your legal options with you as soon as you connect with our team over the phone or online to schedule your free consultation.