Commerce: Racial Discrimination

Tellers after a superior allegedly called him an "f---ins terrorist" is among a growing number of Australians complaining about racial discrimination at work. Ail Skiff, 34, alleges the comments were made by "an extremely intoxicated" manager and had been directed towards him and another Muslim colleague during a sales conference in Melbourne in July last year.

The former business sales consultant is suing Tellers for undisclosed damages in the Federal Magistrates Court, claiming the company is vicariously liable for the Advertisement: Story continues below Mr..Skiff, from western Sydney, is expected to claim a link between the incident and his redundancy from Tellers three weeks later. Tellers would not comment on the case as it is before the courts but a spokeswoman, Kari Kessler, said the company valued a diverse workplace and did not tolerate discrimination in any form. Human Rights Commission figures reveal a 23 per cent increase in complaints elating to employment, under the Racial Discrimination Act, between 2008-09 and 2009-10. In the same time complaints based on race rose from 316 to 536 and complaints of racial hatred increased from 50 to 166.

A spokesman for the commission said those grievances were "the tip of the iceberg" because people "see a lot of risks associated with it". Mr.. Skiff's lawyer, Mohammed Maser, told the court yesterday the case against Tellers involved "harassment in the workplace while my client was an employee". "There was some racial discrimination and abuse also made towards [Mr..

Skiff] which will form the basis of his complaint," Mr.. Maser told the magistrate, Sylvia Emmett. He was given until September 17 to file a statement of claim. Outside court, Mr.

.Skiffs said the manager who made the alleged comments had been involved in Telltale's redundancy process last August and had been present when he was informed of the company's decision to terminate his employment. He said the manager had also been made redundant after the incident, as had the other employee to whom the comments had allegedly been made. The employee would not be Joining the case against Tellers but was expected to give evidence, he said. Mr..

Maser said his client was suffering stress and psychological damage and that the incident had made a "huge impact" on his wife and three young children.A human rights lawyer, Cyclones Scout, told the Herald that complaints of racial or religious vilification tended to peak after terrorist attacks or provocative comments by politicians. Dir. Scout, the first anti-discrimination commissioner of Tasmania, said some people trivialize complaints of this nature. The person on the giving end might think it a Joke but the person on the receiving Article 3 Older people and work: the invisible discrimination Elizabeth Frederick October 1, 2009 http://www.

SMS. Com. AU/opinion/society-and-culture/older-people-and-work-the- invisible-discrimination-20091001-CZ. HTML Let's be frank.When it comes to employment, older people can experience discrimination that is unlawful under state and federal laws, and very little is said about it.

"It's not that you're too old, it's Just that we're looking for someone who'll fit the team better," is the common refraining. I recently spoke about the age from which workers can expect to face unlawful age discrimination in employment. I was astonished by the reception my speech on this largely unaddressed subject received. Heartfelt stories of rejection, isolation and lost hope poured out on radio, on television, in the papers and on the internet from people from all walks of like.It crossed industries, gender, rural and urban communities, racial and cultural backgrounds. I literally had people stopping me in the street to congratulate me on speaking out about this subject.

To me this reaction conveyed not only a shared frustration among a large section of our community, but also the importance that people placed on ensuring that respect ND dignity is maintained in what amounts to the entire second half of our working lives. It also served to reinforce to me that this form of discrimination has been largely invisible up until now and that people want it named and changed.They have had enough. Advertisement: Story continues below I can't emphasis too often that we should all be outraged by unlawful age discrimination, if only for the simple fact that the majority of us will one day become mature age workers.

Many people face that demeaning prospect from about the age of 45, the generally accepted tipping point. Whether it is through employment advertisements stating "only young and dynamic people need apply" or in Job interviews where past experience is met with remarks such as "that was a long time ago".Or in the workplace itself, where younger co-workers are offered training and promotion opportunities while older people are overlooked. These are not empowering situations for a person to find themselves in and they have little to do with ability and merit.

They have nothing to do with simple respect. It is easy to understand how, faced over and over with experiences like this, a person an become convinced that the end of their working life has arrived and they should for which they are vastly over-experienced, by accepting less hours or by ceasing to look for work altogether.These are confidence-eroding situations that result because choice - the choice to continue working - has been taken away. I recall a man in his ass whose story came to light when the Australian Human Rights Commission was consulting on this issue. A highly skilled man, he had been looking for work for eight years, applied for more than 500 Jobs and received only four interviews. Finally, due to the lack of Job prospects and eight years of rejections, he registered for the age pension even though he wanted to continue working.

The degrading nature of this situation should be immediately obvious.It should also be obvious that it could happen at any time to any one of us, no matter what our occupation. Relevant skills and education will not necessarily prevent the stereotypes associated with being an "older person". And when it comes to our retirement, those images we are fed of two healthy, wealthy, older people all dressed in white, running carefree down a beach with their olden retriever into a dreamy future is for many mature age workers Just that ? a dream. Images like these disguise the often harsh reality many mature age workers face.

While some will simply wish to continue working, many others have a desperate financial need to work. It is obvious that something needs to be done. We must conduct research to understand the nature and extent of unlawful age discrimination in employment to properly develop policies. We need a strong, well-funded education strategy to ensure employers and employees are aware of unlawful age discrimination and their rights. We must reform our laws and policies so that they support both the need and the choice to work in mature age.

It is hard enough to find and maintain employment without also having to deal with unlawful age discrimination. It is not fair, it is certainly not respectful and it does not promote a person's basic sense of dignity and self-worth. What better day to start tackling this disturbing issue than today, on the International Day of Older Persons. Elizabeth Frederick is the federal commissioner responsible for age discrimination. Summary of the main points of the three articles which is based on racial coordination in the workplace. .

The main points on article one includes unfair treatment and unfair dismissal had to undertake a written health and safety exam written in English even though she had little English. The young Thai migrant was looking forward to returning to her Job after a wrist injury, her employer had a different idea. The Thai migrant without any assistance of translation or even help in read the questions. She sat the exam which she failed the test and was dismissed.

This is irresponsible use of power that has mistreated an employee.When she failed the test the migrant was Semitism and was not allowed to work for one of Australia's largest labor hire companies and unfairly dismissed. The young 26 year old, Thai migrant said that she had done the test before and had to do it again and said that she was shown how to pick up boxes carefully. Is discrimination happening in other companies and how is it going to be prevented so it doesn't happen again? These questions raise a serious issue that a number of discrimination is being found in the workplace. This article also shows that people are being discriminated in the workplace and it needs to top. .

The main point within the second article includes growing number of Australians complaining about being racially abused by co-workers and employer within the workplace. A man working for Tellers was called something inappropriate name. During a business conference the manager lost temper and called his employee an inappropriate name. Three weeks later he walked out of the Job. When Tellers and the man working for Tellers went to court, the spokesperson of the Tellers said it is a diverse workplace and does not tolerate discrimination in any form.The article raises he topic that an alarming number of complaints about people being racially discriminated in the workplace.

People are being racially abused because they have a different background and culture. The article raises questions is this fair? What is being done to prevent it? What will it take? These rhetorical questions provide prompts for all employers and employees within the Australian workforce. 3. The main point of the third article the discriminated of older employees in the working force. When people from the workforce face at the age of 45; it is generally the age of tipping point.

Many employers seek younger workers, granting training and promotion to the younger employees. As a result older employees are usually over looked. The article suggests that if two people where applying for the same Job, with the same qualifications the only difference being their age, one over 45 and one younger than 45, the younger person would get the Job. The article raises the question is this discrimination? The article discusses that younger workers are getting more privileges than older people; shouldn't it be the other way around? What is being done to stop this unfairness? Question 3Word report outlining the rights and responsibilities of employees and employers The rights of employees include the right to have the employer pay for certain work- related expenses such as uniforms, the right to a safe and healthy workplace, work right to be paid the appropriate award rate which include holiday leave loading, regular pay slips, superannuation guarantee levy, pay for extra work (includes overtime, working at night, working on weekends or working on public holidays) and the right to have leave entitlements such as sick leave, other leave entitlements and four weeks annual leave.

Some responsibilities of an employer include the responsibility to not to give away company secrets, the responsibility to exercise care and skill, the responsibility not to work for a competitor at the same time and the responsibility to follow reasonable instructions. Other responsibilities include being at work on time and doing the set amount of hours in the employees signed contract.The right of an employer is to ensure that employees keep and maintain company secrets, that the employee follows reasonable instructions as well as the employee to work the set amount of hours. The responsibility of an employer is to providing and maintaining machinery and equipment, provide and demonstrate safe systems of work.

Implement arrangements for the safe use, handling, storage and transport of chemicals.