Promotion in the workplace should primarily be based on job performance. High-performing employees have a high chance of being promoted to a senior position. And in some cases, you may be promoted horizontally, in which case you will remain in your job category with the same responsibilities but with an increase in pay or benefits.
Unfortunately, your employer may wrongfully fail to promote you, which can be considered discriminative. Massachusetts laws protect employees from discrimination of different kinds. Thus, it may be unlawful for your employer to deny you the promotion you deserve.
Below are signs that may indicate promotion discrimination.
Favoring a particular group
If you study all the people being promoted and notice they belong to a group you don’t belong to, be it gender, race, disability status, age, religion, national origin or sexual orientation, you may be facing discrimination.
The chances are your employer may be favoring the respective group, especially if your performance is remarkable, you have the required qualifications and have a pre-existing understanding of how things work in the company.
A reason not related to performance
If your employer does not offer you a promotion that you are qualified for, it will help to ask for a reason. Pay attention to what they tell you- if it’s not related to work performance, you may have been discriminated against.
It can be challenging to come up with a reason for not promoting an employee who meets the qualifications and has good work performance.
Wrongful failure to promote is one of the most common discrimination types in workplaces. If you have experienced it, learn more about your case to protect your rights.
