Discrimination, including Racial Discrimination

Discrimination is when a person is treated less favourably, or not given the same opportunities, as others in a similar situation, because of a particular personal characteristic such as sex, age, race, gender, disability, religion or sexual orientation.

Racial discrimination can also take the form of unfair treatment of a person because of their race, cultural or ethnic group, skin colour or the country where they were born.

Workplace discrimination can include:

• unjustified and unreasonable work requirements which have an unfair effect on a particular cultural or ethnic group
• unreasonably failing or refusing to accommodate dietary requirements, attire or routines undertaken in accordance with religious practice (such as prayer)
• refusing to hire or promote a suitably qualified person because of their age
• terminating an employee because they have or are perceived to have a disability, have had a disability in the past, or may develop a disability in the future.

Discrimination is unlawful in Australia.