Custom «Which Is It» Essay Paper Sample

There is much talk about diversity and harassment at workplace. It is difficult to deny the fact that where employers are obliged to promote diversity, employees also have the legal right to perform in harassment-free environment. A whole set of laws protects employees and applicants from the threats of discrimination and abuse. Employers should remember that harassment is not just about sexual relationships; it covers numerous race, gender, age, and religious concerns. Regardless other workplace conditions and criteria, all private employers in the U.S. are subject to comply with the laws that eliminate harassment and promote diversity at workplace.

Diversity and Harassment

            There is much talk about diversity and harassment at workplace. It is difficult to deny the fact that where employers are obliged to promote diversity, employees also have the legal right to perform in harassment-free environment. It should be noted, that diversity usually “encompasses acceptance and respect. It means understanding that each individual is unique and recognizing our individual differences” (Appleby, 2007). In its turn, harassment is the direct violation of one’s individual rights and is legally defined as “a course of conduct directed at a specific person that causes substantial emotional distress in such a person and serves no legitimate purpose” (Appleby, 2007). It appears that as the two concepts of diversity and harassment are closely interrelated, they nevertheless speak about the two different environments, with diversity being the essential component of workplace environment, and harassment actually being the violation of one’s right for diversity.

            A whole set of laws protects employees and applicants from the threats of discrimination and abuse. Employers should remember that harassment is not just about sexual relationships; it covers numerous race, gender, age, and religious concerns. Regardless other workplace conditions and criteria, all private employers in the U.S. are subject to comply with the laws that eliminate harassment and promote diversity at workplace. Objectively, no law burdens employers with the direct obligation to promote diversity, but all labor laws directly prohibit harassment, making diversity the critical component of any organizational environment. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act 1964 prohibits any discrimination on the basis of race, religion, national origin, or sex; the Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 makes it illegal to discriminate against employees or applicants with disabilities; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act also protects older employees and applicants from age discrimination. Diversity is the result of complying with anti-discrimination laws, and avoiding harassment at workplace is impossible without promoting diversity at all levels of organizational structure.