Racial Discrimination Related Victimization in Employment

RACIAL EQUALITY VICTIMIZATION IN EMPLOYMENT

(Based on author’s site www.geocities.com/rcvct)

Race relations victimization is different than color discrimination or ethnic discrimination or racial harassment or racial segregation -race victimization or color victimization need not include discriminatory practices to be illegal ~it need only be about race equality.

It is possible for one in race relations law, even if not subjected to race discrimination, to suffer unlawful race relations victimization, entitling to legal remedies.

Race relations victimization is, on its own, contrary to nondiscrimination policy -in race equality legislation under the Race Relations Act, and in employment law, unlawful.

In race relations laws also workplace victimization can be without race discrimination or racial abuse; and, employment tribunal compensation for race relations victimization, if it is with racial discrimination or ethnic relations abuse -be it racial segregation or color discrimination or ethnic prejudice or any other kind of racist abuse, for 'injury to feelings' is limitless -racial victimization exempts on its own from a year's service requirement to sue, if terminated, also for reinstatement.

Only indirectly is race relations victimization to do with one's color, race, ethnicity, religion, nationality, citizenship; it is not directly about racism in ethnic relations, racial segregation, race equality, as such -it is about detriment over concern with those at the workplace caused one by way of retaliation, and because it is about race equality it is called race relations victimization.

Race relations victimization is, in racial equality legislation -under the Race Relations Act, basically, this:-

If one complains…

...that one has been, or is being, treated less favorably on racial grounds by one's employer -to the employer or to a tribunal or to the race relations board or seeks advice from the advisory arbitration and conciliation service (or friend or colleague -or anyone)...

...or if one agrees to, e.g., give evidence or support anyone, or lawfully do anything, in relation to race discrimination to the detriment or possible detriment of the employer…

…or if one does not do any of those things but is suspected by the employer that has done or would or could or might do so…

...and because of that race relations related act or suspicion if one is subjected to a detriment by the employer or for or on behalf of the employer, in respect of one's employment…

...that is unlawful race relations victimization of one.

In race relations victimization it does not matter, e.g., if one's complaint was of racial abuse in personal service (e.g. house help) exempted in nondiscrimination policy, or of race discrimination over a genuine occupational qualification (e.g. straight haired model) exempt under the Race Relations Act, or, if one was wrong and it was not race discrimination -if it is a complaint of race equality in good faith any detriment because of it caused one (even if not discriminatory practices detriment) is illegal race relations victimization.

Also, in race relations law, it does not matter if the employer did not know of the race relations victimization -if the racial victimization is by someone to do with that employment (including a colleague -unless the employer can prove that all reasonable steps were taken to ensure compliance with racial equality laws, including e.g. ethnic victimization) there is vicarious race equality liability for race relations victimization.

The motive or intention is irrelevant in race relations victimization -so is being unconscious of subjecting to racial victimization -if less favourable treatment (even if it is not itself race discrimination) is shown and it relates to racial equality, that is race relations victimization and there is racial victimization liability: Swiggs & Others -v- Nagarajan, 1999, HL.

Race relations case law suggest that for a claim to succeed under the Race Relations Act the employee's complaint to the employer about racial equality which resulted in race relations victimization, must have been made before the race relations victimization took place if victimization was dismissal -before the employment contract ended: Post Office -v- Adekeye, and, Negorajam -v- Agnew 1974 EAT.

The employer needs the employee's consent to put it right if it is not in an internal appeal, and also in race relations this is so, if the race relations victimization is termination -because that ends the employment contract (which, if not specifically made, the law deems to have existed): James -v- Waltham Holy Cross UDC, 1973, NIRC ~but an employee, before suing under the race relations law for racial victimization, must protest with written cause the race relations victimization to the employer for response in 28 days, considering arbitration for conciliation or settling.

It is not a defense in race relations victimization for the employer, if later information showed the employer to have erred, that at the time of the race relations victimization information was not available to suggest that the detriment would be racial victimization -the employer must put right that error ~this (Williamson -v- Alcan UK Ltd., 1978, EAT) is regarded a principle of employment law, and if does not, that too, in race equality law, is unlawful race relations victimization.

If one suffers race relations victimization, one may serve on the employer a racial discrimination questionnaire (within three months of when one first knew of the race relations victimization -or if one has lodged one's racial victimization claim with an employment tribunal [for which there is a time limit of three months] within 21 days of lodging it), using the employer's answers to why subjected to alleged racial victimization as evidence of race relations victimization -failure to answer or vague or ambiguous replies entitle drawing inference in race relations victimization claims.

In racial equality case law there appears to be a judicial expectation that a race relations complaint should specify or include the allegation that it relates to racial discrimination -British Airways Engine Overhaul Ltd. -v- Francis 1981 dismissed the case because the race relations complainant had not alleged that the complaint related to race discrimination (that in later protected acts [whistle-blowing, asserting a statutory right] reasonable clarity suffices may make same applicable to race relations victimization).

In race relations victimization the onus of proof is normally on the employee alleging racial victimization, but this can move to the employer because the employer must state a reason for the detriment alleged to be race relations victimization, and employment tribunals have to have regard to the reason stated by the employer -this applies also in race relations victimization cases ~it is important to show the employer's reason not to be, or be capable of not being, the reason or main reason for a detriment alleged as racial victimization.

If it is not shown to be a race relations matter, even if the detriment is proven, it is not racial victimization -Baker -v- Cornwall County Council 1990, and, York Truck Equipment Ltd. 1990 EAT) held the detriment not related to racial equality but disciplinary and so, not race relations victimization ~in racial victimization one must show not only that there had been a race equality issue followed by a detriment but also that the detriment would not have arisen but for a race equality issue for it to be race relations victimization.

In race relations cases the basic consideration in race relations discrimination applies also to race relations victimization and is whether the alleged racial discrimination or race relations victimization arouse from a racial equality matter -the 'but for' rule: would the detriment have still been suffered, or would it not have been but for racial inequality, or in the case of race relations victimization a race equality enquiry or complaint or act of the employee -or the employer's related suspicion? If the detriment alleged to be victimization would not otherwise have been suffered, it is unlawful race relations victimization, entitling to a remedy.

Laws change, these are brief guidelines.

The author has a website at: http://www.geocities.com/eoa_uk