Is There a Difference Between Race and Color Discrimination?

You may know that many different types of employment discrimination in Florida are unlawful under state and federal law. Two types of unlawful discrimination, which are prohibited by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Florida Civil Rights Act (FCRA), are discrimination on the basis of race and discrimination on the basis of color. These two types of discrimination might sound very similar, and they are sometimes used incorrectly in an interchangeable manner, or written as race/color discrimination. These two forms of discrimination are indeed similar but are in fact distinct from one another. To be clear, there is a difference between race discrimination and color discrimination.

Our Florida employment discrimination attorneys can explain the differences in more detail below, and we can speak with you today if you have experienced either type of discrimination and need help moving forward with a claim.

Race Discrimination 

Race discrimination is understood, according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), to mean “discrimination on the basis of an immutable characteristic associated with race, such as skin color, hair texture, or certain facial features,” while recognizing that “not all members of the race share the same characteristic.”

Unlawful discrimination on the basis of race also prohibits any type of discrimination related to “a condition which predominantly affects one race,” such as sickle cell anemia, which is most common in African Americans, or a dress code policy that prohibits beards, even among job applicants or employees “predisposition to pseudofolliculitis barbae,” defined as “severe shaving bumps,” given that the condition often affects African American men.

Color Discrimination

How does color discrimination differ from the above? The EEOC explains that race and color discrimination do overlap in certain ways, but it is important to be clear that “they are not synonymous.”

The language of color, in the context of color discrimination, concerns the pigmentation of a person’s skin or complexion. Accordingly, according to the EEOC, “color discrimination occurs when a person is discriminated against based on the lightness, darkness, or other color characteristic of the person,” regardless of their race or ethnicity.

Overlap of Race and Color Discrimination

It is certainly possible — and not uncommon — for a person to be subject to unlawful race and color discrimination in the workplace, either as a job applicant or an employee. These forms of discrimination may include discriminatory treatment that is based on a person’s race and color, or perceived race based on their complexion, or a related circumstance.

Contact a Palm Beach Gardens Race and National Origin Discrimination Attorney for Assistance with Your Florida Lawsuit

If you have faced any type of discrimination that you believe falls into one of the protected categories under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, including discrimination on the basis of race or color, you should seek legal advice as soon as possible. Protections against these forms of discrimination apply to employees and job applicants alike, and one of the experienced Palm Beach Gardens race and national origin discrimination lawyers at Sconzo Law Office can begin discussing your case with you today. Contact us to have your questions answered and to receive assistance with your employment discrimination claim.

Source:

eeoc.gov/statutes/title-vii-civil-rights-act-1964eeoc.gov/fact-sheet/facts-about-racecolor-discrimination