What is an example case of discrimination?

Asked by: Magnolia Connelly  |  Last update: March 10, 2026
Score: 4.2/5 (29 votes)

An example case of discrimination is when a company pays a female employee less than a male colleague for the same work, or denies housing to someone due to their race, national origin (like an accent), disability (refusing a service animal), or age (not hiring older workers), showing unfair treatment based on protected characteristics like sex, race, disability, or age in hiring, pay, housing, or work conditions.

What are some discrimination cases?

Cases - Employment discrimination

  • 14 Penn Plaza LLC v. Pyett. ...
  • Albemarle Paper Company v. Moody. ...
  • Alexander v. Fioto. ...
  • Alexander v. Gardner-Denver Company. ...
  • American Tobacco Company v. Patterson. ...
  • Ansonia Board of Education v. Philbrook. ...
  • Ash v. Tyson Foods, Inc. ...
  • Astoria Federal Savings & Loan Association v. Solimino.

What are 5 examples of discrimination?

Five examples of discrimination include racial discrimination (not hiring someone due to race), gender discrimination (paying a woman less for the same job as a man), disability discrimination (denying service because someone uses a wheelchair), age discrimination (forcing older employees out), and religious discrimination (ridiculing someone for wearing a headscarf). These examples show unfair treatment in hiring, pay, services, or general environment based on protected characteristics like race, sex, age, disability, or religion.
 

What is a real life example of discrimination?

c) Discrimination in hiring – During a job interview, being asked inappropriate questions about child care arrangements if you are a parent or whether or not you plan to have children; questions about your disabilities or health limitations or problems; your age, your religion or any other personal characteristic ...

What is an example of simple discrimination?

A simple discrimination involves teaching someone to differentiate between 2 different stimuli, which is needed for daily routines. This may include choosing between milk or juice, picking out a specific color shirt or pants, or choosing between different snacks.

How to Prove Discrimination at Work

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What are the 4 types of discrimination?

The four main types of discrimination, particularly under UK law like the Equality Act, are Direct Discrimination, Indirect Discrimination, Harassment, and Victimisation, focusing on treating someone unfairly due to protected characteristics (like race, sex, age) through less favorable treatment, disadvantageous rules, offensive behavior, or retaliation for complaining. These legal categories describe how discrimination occurs, distinct from the specific grounds (race, disability, etc.) on which it's based.
 

What are the 10 types of discrimination?

Below are ten types of discrimination.

  • Age discrimination. ...
  • Disability. ...
  • Gender/sexual orientation. ...
  • Gender identity/gender expression. ...
  • Genetic information. ...
  • Military status/military obligations. ...
  • National origin. ...
  • Religion.

What are the 8 types of discrimination?

Types of discrimination ('protected characteristics')

  • age.
  • gender reassignment.
  • being married or in a civil partnership.
  • being pregnant or on maternity leave.
  • disability.
  • race including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin.
  • religion or belief.
  • sex.

What is the most common discrimination?

The 8 Most Common Forms of Workplace Discrimination – Examples of Workplace Discrimination

  • Age (for those 40 and older),
  • Ancestry,
  • Color,
  • Disability,
  • Gender identity or expression,
  • Genetic information,
  • Marital status,
  • Military status,

What are three examples of unfair discrimination?

Examples of Employment Discrimination

  • Failure to hire.
  • Harassment.
  • Quid pro quo: Conditioning employment or promotion on sexual favors.
  • Hostile Work Environment: Continuous actions and comments based on protected characteristics that create an uncomfortable and hostile workplace.
  • Job assignment.
  • Compensation.

What are the 12 types of discrimination?

While there isn't a universally fixed list of exactly 12, U.S. law, particularly through the EEOC, protects against discrimination based on core categories like Race, Color, Religion, Sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, sexual orientation), National Origin, Disability, Age (40+), and Genetic Information, with Retaliation also being a key protected area; other variations add bases like Military Status, Marital Status, or Ancestry, often totaling around a dozen key protected characteristics in employment and broader contexts. 

How do I prove discrimination?

Direct evidence is the best way to show that you experienced discrimination and can include verbal comments or statements written in memos, notes, emails, or other personal or professional communications.

What are the 14 types of discrimination?

The 14 prohibited grounds for discrimination or harassment

  • Race. ...
  • It's the color of your skin.
  • It is for example the fact of being a woman or a man. ...
  • Gender identity or gender expression. ...
  • It's the fact of being pregnant and having a baby. ...
  • It is the emotional or sexual attraction to someone. ...
  • It's your family status.

What are five examples of discrimination?

Types of discrimination

  • Grounds for discrimination.
  • Sexual harassment.
  • Victimisation.
  • Disability discrimination.
  • Domestic abuse discrimination.
  • Conversion Practices.

What are the 9 grounds for discrimination?

Equal Status

  • 'the gender ground'
  • 'the civil status ground' (formerly marital status)
  • 'the family status ground'
  • 'the sexual orientation ground'
  • 'the religion ground'
  • 'the age ground'
  • 'the disability ground'
  • 'the ground of race' (includes 'race, colour, nationality or ethnic or national origins')

What are the 7 areas of discrimination?

While there isn't a universal "7 types" list, discrimination is broadly categorized by the protected characteristics people are unfairly treated for, commonly including Race/Color, Religion, Sex (Gender, Pregnancy, LGBTQ+ status), National Origin, Age, Disability, and Genetic Information, with variations like harassment, retaliation, and familial status also recognized, all stemming from treating someone differently based on these inherent traits.
 

What is the best example of discrimination?

Here are some examples of what may constitute discrimination.

  • A restaurant does not admit a guest because the person has cerebral palsy.
  • An employee has lower pay than a colleague of the opposite sex with the same or equivalent work.
  • A manager makes unwelcome sexual advances.

How to prove harassment at work?

Proving workplace harassment involves meticulous documentation (a detailed log of dates, times, people, and incidents), saving all evidence (emails, texts, photos), gathering witness statements, reporting it formally to HR or management (and documenting their response), and showing the conduct was severe or pervasive enough to create a hostile environment based on a protected characteristic (like race, gender, age, disability). Consulting an employment lawyer early is also crucial to understand your rights and options, says the EEOC. 

What are the three main types of discrimination?

What are the different types of discrimination?

  • Direct discrimination.
  • Discrimination arising from disability.
  • Indirect discrimination.
  • Harassment.
  • Victimisation.
  • Failing to comply with duty to make reasonable adjustments.

What are the penalties for discrimination?

Limits On Compensatory & Punitive Damages

For employers with 15-100 employees, the limit is $50,000. For employers with 101-200 employees, the limit is $100,000. For employers with 201-500 employees, the limit is $200,000. For employers with more than 500 employees, the limit is $300,000.

What is unfair discrimination?

Unfair discrimination occurs when an employer shows favour, prejudice or bias for or against a person on a prohibited ground, including a person's race, gender, sex, pregnancy, marital status, family responsibility, ethnic or social origin, colour, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, HIV status, conscience, ...

What are the 4 types of discrimination in the Equality Act 2010?

age discrimination. disability discrimination. gender reassignment discrimination. marriage and civil partnership discrimination.

How to prove discrimination?

Compare your work, conduct and treatment to that of those outside of your protected class as much as possible. Provide proof that others of similar qualifications have been given better opportunities, projects that are more favorable and superior treatment.

Is trying to get someone fired harassment?

Conspiring to get someone fired is not automatically illegal, but lies, threats, or defamatory actions can create liability.

What are legal examples of discrimination?

It is illegal for an employer to make decisions about job assignments and promotions based on an employee's race, color, religion, sex (including transgender status, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.