Workplace Discrimination Analysis

This assignment requires an in-depth analysis of workplace discrimination. Students must examine different forms of discrimination, such as ageism, sexism, and racism, drawing upon provided research articles. The analysis should critically evaluate the presented research findings and their broader implications for the workplace.

HRM

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
1. Identification and discussion on type of discrimination faced by Mr Scheinberg.............3
2. Define negative impact of age discrimination faced by Mr. Scheinberg and its
recommendation to HR manager to avoid this issue..............................................................6
2. Discussion on issues related with diversity and two positive and negative impact of
diversity in the workplace......................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Human Resource Management is a process of employing people, provide training,
compensating them, developing rules and adopting strategies to retain employees for longer
period 1. HR department is responsible for creating, modifying and governing polices so that
workers can maintain their relationship with its employees.
Thus, present report will focus on activities of Apple Genius bar, which is one of the
famous technical giant retail stores. It relates with an issue of retired candidate JK Scheinberg,
lefts Apple in 2008 after serving 21 years to firm.
In this assignment, identification and discussion on discrimination faced by Mr
Scheindberg at Apple and its possible and negative impacts of diversity will be considered.
Furthermore, recommendations are needed to provide to avoid issues as age discrimination
between employee's to maintain equality at workplace.
MAIN BODY
1. Identification and discussion on type of discrimination faced by Mr Scheinberg
Herein, Mr Scheinberg who served 21 years of Apple is a retired employee now. He has
applied for job in Apple genius bar, it is one of giant technical firm and this store staffs only
younger age candidates. Being, 54 years old he was facing issues as age discrimination to get
employed in cited firm. He was former software engineer in Apple. Although, he has refused to
get job because of his age factor.
Meaning of discrimination and its type faced by Mr Scheinberg
It can be defined as distinguishing differences in terms to treating any individual on the
behalf of race, sex, religion, nation origin and another kind of characteristics. Discrimination can
1
Assari, Shervin, Reuben Jonathan Miller, Robert Joseph Taylor, Dawne Mouzon, Verna
Keith, and Linda M. Chatters. "Discrimination fully mediates the effects of incarceration
history on depressive symptoms and psychological distress among African American
men." Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities. 5, no. 2 (2018): 243-252.

be form of treating any individual in unfair manner due to certain characteristics. It can cause
harm to expectation of an individual. In addition to this, employees of firms are needed to be
treated equally and respectfully. If any person gets discriminated or treated badly due to factors
as sex, age or religion is unlawful and it is entertained by law.

In present report, case of Mr. Scheinberg has taken into consideration that relates with
age discrimination. He has already served 21 years of his life in Apple worked as software
engineer. He has refused to get job because at the time of applying, he was 54 years old and the
quoted firm works as to staff younger age candidate.

Age discrimination- This term refers as treating and behaving with someone in unfavourable
manner due to certain characteristics based on age, sex , religion and national origin 2. Hence,
age discrimination is unlawful at any phases of unemployment that is inclusive of job postings,
activity description, hiring, salaries, job assignments and interviews. In this, discrimination has
been divided into several types and discussed below-
 Direct discrimination- This term can be defined as a person, group of individual treated
less favourably as compare to another group due to their background or certain personal
characteristics. It is unlawful on behalf of protected attributes as are race, sex, religion,
sexual orientation, intersex status, pregnancy, marital status and family responsibilities.
For example- If any aged person is not been considered for job because it is assumed that
they are not that much familiar with modern technology compared with younger
applicants. It can be termed out as age discrimination. Moreover, Mr Scheinberg refused
with direct discrimination as cited firm have made comparison with younger staff.
 Indirect discrimination- This term refers when an enterprise has particular policy that
applies to every individual at workplace but this disadvantages people of particular age. It
can be understood with help of example: requirement for job applicants to worked in
particular industry for 10 years can be disadvantage for younger people who recently get
their degree. In addition to it, if organisational policies, practices and procedures have
harsh impact over disadvantaging people who share certain protected characteristics will
occur as indirect discrimination.
 Workplace serotypes- This term is inclusive of idea that older worker are not that much
technical savvy as comparative to younger applicants or thinks they are are not able to
adapts in today's fast moving environment. This kind of perceptions is based on
2
Bratt, Christopher, Dominic Abrams, Hannah J. Swift, Christin-Melanie Vauclair, and
Sibila Marques. "Perceived age discrimination across age in Europe: From an ageing
society to a society for all ages." Developmental psychology 54, no. 1 (2018): 167.

discrimination that becomes illegal if benefits, salary, training, promotion opportunities
and salary is negatively affected due to it.
 Harassment- It can be termed out as when one person make feels humiliated, offended
and degraded to another individual due to age or any other form of certain
characteristics.. This term cannot be justified. It can be comes from co-workers, bosses
and even clients will may qualify as form of harassments. Thus, it can be understood with
help of an example: At the time of training session, if trainer passes comments on old
employer in negative aspects at very slow learning that how to use new technical
software due to his age factor.
Hence, it is concluded that present case is related with direct discrimination. In this, Mr.
Scheinberg was refused a job due to his age as Apple genius bar recruits younger age candidates.
It is unlawful as it relates with issues as inclusion and diversity at workplace.
2. Define negative impact of age discrimination faced by Mr. Scheinberg and its
recommendation to HR manager to avoid this issue.
Age discrimination can be termed out as practice of letting person unfairly on basis of
factors as are job, promotion and any other form of job benefits. Thus, this issue can damage
positive and efficient working relationship that can cause legal liability. In addition to it, this
discrimination comes on behalf of refuse to hire old employee, firing aged employees and
treating senior employees badly as compared to younger employees 3.
There are some negative impacts of age discrimination that have been discussed below-
1. Loss of experience and potential-Discrimination against potential and current
employees on basis of its age leads to loss in terms of extensive work experience and
knowledge of older employees 4. Thus, employer with long term experience in any entity
can able to perform in more discipline manner as compare to fresher who recently gets
3 Dhanani, Lindsay Y., Jeremy M. Beus, and Dana L. Joseph. "Workplace discrimination: A
meta‐analytic extension, critique, and future research agenda." Personnel Psychology. 71,
no. 2 (2018): 147-179.
4 Jenkins, Andrew. "Ageism and age discrimination in hospitality employment: issues,
challenges and remedies." In Handbook of Human Resource Management in the Tourism
and Hospitality Industries. Edward Elgar Publishing, 2018.

his degree. Apple genius bar refuse to hire older age employee as they thinks that he has
lost potential to perform business function effectively.
2. Legal liability- This term can be refer as discriminating current and potential employees
on basis of age is against federal law. Thus, number of states have enacted that prohibits
age discrimination. This kind of things works as to create negative impact on public
image of but it works as to exposes it to financial peril.
Recommendations to mitigate discrimination-
Thus, federal age discrimination of employment act protects person age and prohibited
cognitive process in workplace 5. It includes discrimination in pay, benefits, promotions and
hiring practices.
The following recommendations to handle age discrimination are as follows-
1. HR should develop clear policies that should be consistent, applicable, understandable
and reasonable. Employees of Apple genius bar should take initiatives to stand against
age discrimination and policies Mr Scheinberges. Thus, rules relates with it needed to be
reviewed by person who has legal knowledge that make some ethical sense.
2. HR of Apple genius bar needs to establish progressive discipline programme as part of
their policy process. Here, employee will get to know about ramifications needed for any
policy violation (Age discrimination, 2018). In addition to it, Human Resource is
responsible for delivering training and educate employees about age discrimination to
prevent treating an applicant less favourably because of his age.
2. Discussion on issues related with diversity and two positive and negative impact of diversity
in the workplace
Diversity Issues: It is a basic problem that organization faced working environment. It is
basically related to human resources . Diversity issues help Apple to promote acceptance, team
work instead of differences of race, age, gender and sexual discrimination 6. In the context of
case scenario, Apple genius also facing an issue of age discrimination such that creates conflicts
5 Murray, Tim. "Disability discrimination in the workplace." Proctor. The 38, no. 2 (2018):
20.
6 Verniers, Catherine, and Jorge Vala. "Justifying gender discrimination in the workplace:
The mediating role of motherhood myths." PloS one. 13, no. 1 (2018): e0190657.

and other issue in a company. It has both positive and negative impacts which are described
below:
Positive impacts
1. Increases Creativity and innovation: If Apple have no problems related to diversity
then it will improve employee's creativity as well as innovative skills. Overall, it helps to
raise company's culture towards a positive environment.
2. Raise productivity and performance: As the quoted company have strong financial
status with operating margin which led to raise in productivity and enhance its
performance. A diverse workplace will generate more profits with broader sales, such as,
when Apple hires handicapped candidate then there is a need to install ramps and
elevators for their convenience.
3. Adaptability: A multicultural organization will offer variety of solutions to problems
with more flexible office environment as workers of a company reflect wide range of
mixture that may leads a business towards success. Thus, adaptability gives an ability to
face challenging situation in more effective way and also responds to some changes in
business environment.
Negative impacts
 Cultural Resistance: if company will become diverse it changes the relationship and
nature of working environment. On the other side it also creates some negative impact
such as stress among employees and develop negative working relationship with poor
workplace morale. Overall,, it leads to decrease in productivity level of a company and
further leads to decreases company's overall performance.
 Communication barriers: Mr Scheindberg did not follow diverse culture then it helps to
creates negative impact on internal and external communication process and on the other
side having diverse culture which will lead to increases number of communication filters
as well as language barriers 7. Even Apple also hire some interpreters and provide
training to their employees which help to overcome communications challenges of
diversity.
7 Riccucci, Norma. Managing Diversity In Public Sector Workforces: Essentials Of Public
Policy And Administration Series. Routledge, 2018.

 Discrimination Issues: If Quoted company slowly become diverse without strategic
planning then find out negative impact on organization such that discrimination between
managers and employees and subordinates. It will further consider as an unfair treatment
in a firm because of distinguishing characteristics. Overall, it creates negative impact
upon company's working environment and it can be amended by great leadership
Therefore, to have a diverse working environment that will lead to create positive
outcomes and by develop cultural, ethical diversity and presence of multiple perspective will
benefit a company in the terms of productivity as well as profitability.
CONCLUSION
As per given case study, age discrimination is not acceptable in any firm. Thus, it should
not be made a criteria for giving jobs or making assumptions on their capabilities relates with
certain characteristics. Human resource manager plays vital role in terms to provide fair and
respectful environment to employees at workplace. Thus, equality plays essential role in terms to
promote success in enterprise. This report is based on the undertaken business activities of Apple
genius bar. In this report, following things has been covered and identified to discuss on the
discrimination faced by Mr Scheindberg at Apple with its possible negative impacts of diversity
at workplace. Lastly, recommendation has been given to overcome with the identified issues of
discrimination. The main motive is to bring peace and harmony among the employees by
maintaining equality among the individuals at the workplace.

REFERENCES
Books & Journals
Assari, Shervin, Reuben Jonathan Miller, Robert Joseph Taylor, Dawne Mouzon, Verna Keith,
and Linda M. Chatters. "Discrimination fully mediates the effects of incarceration history
on depressive symptoms and psychological distress among African American
men." Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities. 5, no. 2 (2018): 243-252.
Bratt, Christopher, Dominic Abrams, Hannah J. Swift, Christin-Melanie Vauclair, and Sibila
Marques. "Perceived age discrimination across age in Europe: From an ageing society to a
society for all ages." Developmental psychology 54, no. 1 (2018): 167.
Dhanani, Lindsay Y., Jeremy M. Beus, and Dana L. Joseph. "Workplace discrimination: A meta‐
analytic extension, critique, and future research agenda." Personnel Psychology. 71, no. 2
(2018): 147-179.
Jenkins, Andrew. "Ageism and age discrimination in hospitality employment: issues, challenges
and remedies." In Handbook of Human Resource Management in the Tourism and
Hospitality Industries. Edward Elgar Publishing, 2018.
Murray, Tim. "Disability discrimination in the workplace." Proctor. The 38, no. 2 (2018): 20.
Radonjić, Ana, Xiaomao Ding, Avery Krieger, Stacey Aston, Anya C. Hurlbert, and David H.
Brainard. "Illumination discrimination in the absence of a fixed surface-reflectance
layout." Journal of vision.18, no. 5 (2018): 11-11.
Riccucci, Norma. Managing Diversity In Public Sector Workforces: Essentials Of Public Policy
And Administration Series. Routledge, 2018.
Verniers, Catherine, and Jorge Vala. "Justifying gender discrimination in the workplace: The
mediating role of motherhood myths." PloS one. 13, no. 1 (2018): e0190657.
Online
Age discrimination. 2018. [online] Available through:<
https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/advice-and-guidance/age-discrimination>.