Working with Diversity

This document discusses the issue of discrimination, specifically religious discrimination, in the workplace. It explores the laws and regulations in Australia that protect equal employment opportunities and prohibit discrimination and harassment. The author shares a personal experience of religious discrimination and highlights the need for proper implementation of company policies and a Religious Discrimination Act. The document concludes with recommendations for creating a more inclusive workplace.

Running head: WORKING WITH DIVERSITY
WORKING WITH DIVERSITY
Name of Student
Name of University
Author Note

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1.
Discrimination can be defined as unjust, unlawful and prejudicial treatment of a person
based on race, age, sex, religion or ethnicity. Religious discrimination is the treatment of a
person differently or unfavorably because of their religious beliefs or their association with any
individual of a particular religious belief (EEOC, 2019). Religious discrimination has been a
prominent issue in the recent years because of various reasons. Discrimination of any type in the
workplace has been prohibited by law. Any kind of discrimination and harassment resulting to
hiring, firing, pay job assignments, promotions, offensive remarks by any supervisor, co-worker
or customer or that creates a hostile or offensive work environment or resulting in adverse
employment decision is deemed illegal by law. Inclusiveness in workplace can be defined as the
intention to value individual differences in the workplace making a person feel welcome
irrespective of his religion, age, sex, ethnicity or race (Forbes, 2019).
As a religious minority living in Australia I have recently experienced a situation that can
be concluded as discrimination for my religious beliefs. As a Hindu Man I have worn a locket
with a picture of a deity worshipped in my religion. Last Monday I joined an accounts firm as a
part time accountant. When I went to my workplace on Monday I noticed that I was the only
person of the minority group in my workplace. I had notified my employer about my
predicament that I will be wearing the locket and my employer agreed to it. During lunch time I
tried to join a few of my colleagues for lunch but was refused instantly. One of them told me that
to join them I will need to remove my locket. There were further derogatory comments made by
them against my religion. I instantly reported the incident to my supervisor who asserted me that
necessary actions would be taken against them in the earliest. But even after one week I am still
experiencing the same non-inclusiveness from my colleagues as I experienced on my first day.

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The right to wear religious clothing and symbol at workplace has been recognized in the case
Eweida and Others v The United Kingdom by the European Court of Human Rights (Squelch,
2013). The right to freedom of religion has been protected in the Australian Constitution. In this
context I can say that I have been discriminated because of my religious beliefs. I strongly
believe that although there are certain legislations and policies that my organization follows yet
their implementation has not been done properly.
2.
The equal employment opportunities and anti discrimination in the workplace are
covered under the national and state laws. The ACT Human Rights Commission in the
Australian Capital Territory, the NSW Anti-Discrimination Board in the New South Wales,
Northern Territory Anti-Discrimination Commission, Anti-Discrimination Commission
Queensland, Equal opportunity Commission of South Australia, Office of Anti-Discrimination
Commissioner in Tasmania, the Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission in Victoria,
Equal Opportunity Commission of Western Australia provides the laws and regulations required
for equal employment opportunities and discrimination and harassment free workplace
(Business.gov.au, 2018).
Although Australia does not have any Bill of Rights, a number of express rights and a
few implied rights are protected by the Constitution of Australia. In the section 116 of the
Australian Constitution it has been prohibited to the Commonwealth to make any laws to
establish any religion, impose on the people any religious observation, prohibit free exercise of
any religion or require religious test as qualification for any office or public trust (Parliament of
Australia, 2018).

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Apart from the above-mentioned, there are certain acts that contain Australia’s federal
anti-discrimination laws namely, Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth), Equal Opportunities Act 2010, Age
Discrimination Act 2004, Disability Discrimination Act 1992, Racial Discrimination Act 1975
and Sex Discrimination Act 1984.
As the company I work in is situated in the Queensland therefore the company is
governed by the policies of the Anti-Discrimination Commission Australia. The company further
follows the policies of Fair Work Act 2009 and Equal Opportunities Act 2010.
3.
I believe that I was subjected to religious discrimination because of partial knowledge of
people on religious reciprocity, lack of knowledge of my religion among my colleagues and most
importantly fear. Poor implementation of the laws and policies of the company can be stated as
reason for the discrimination I faced at my company. Further lack of proper religious
discrimination act can be said to be a contributory factor to the increasing discriminatory actions
against the religious minorities.
4.
As a citizen of Australia I have the right to freedom of religion as stated in the section
116 of the Australian Constitution. Further as an employee of the company I am entitled to all
the rights and benefits of the policies that the company implements.
5.
Discrimination can be identified as an increasing problem in the world. Religious
discrimination is even more alarming factor in Australia. The right to freedom of religion is

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protected only under the Australian Constitution. Implementation of Religious Discrimination
Act is necessary. Proper implementation of the company policies in regard to the Australian
legislations on anti-discrimination is necessary for solving the non-inclusiveness issues in the
workplaces.
6.
 To make the workplace more inclusive my company should implement a strict
anti-discrimination policy defining all types of discriminations and harassments clearly
and comprehensively and specify the grounds of the federal or state anti-discrimination
legislation. I further expect that there is employee resource groups created and skill
development and awareness building trainings and programs instigated for implementing
inclusiveness in the company. The company should also recruit people from various race,
ethnicity and religion. Further the supervisors of the company should be stricter on
dealing with discrimination or harassment reports. The organization should be clear about
its policies about religious proselytizing, the managers should further discuss ways to
accommodate spiritually guided preferences about clothing, religious symbols, and food
without interfering with work or offending other workers who may not be interested.

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Business.gov.au (2018). Equal opportunity and diversity. [online] Business.gov.au. Available at:
https://www.business.gov.au/people/hiring/equal-opportunity-and-diversity [Accessed 14 May
2019].
EEOC (2019). Religious Discrimination. [online] Eeoc.gov. Available at:
https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/religion.cfm [Accessed 14 May 2019].
Eweida and Others v The United Kingdom (Applications nos. 48420/10, 59840/10, 51671/10
and 36516/10)
Forbes (2019). How Do We Design Workplaces For Inclusivity And Diversity. [online]
Forbes.com. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/pragyaagarwaleurope/2018/07/19/how-
inclusive-is-your-organisation-here-is-how-to-use-inclusive-design/#39ada2574d18 [Accessed
14 May 2019].
Parliament of Australia (2018). 4. Federal Protection of Freedom of Religion or Belief –
Parliament of Australia. [online] Aph.gov.au. Available at:
https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Joint/Foreign_Affairs_Defence_an
d_Trade/Freedomofreligion/Interim_Report/section?id=committees%2Freportjnt
%2F024110%2F2517 [Accessed 14 May 2019].
Squelch, J. (2013). Religious symbols and clothing in the workplace: balancing the respective
rights of employees and employers. Murdoch UL Rev., 20, 38.