Final answer:
Discrimination is the unjust or unequal treatment of an individual or group based on a specific characteristic, such as race, age, or gender identity. It can take various forms and has been prohibited by laws in the United States and by global conventions. Discrimination in labor markets can involve differences in pay and job opportunities based on factors like race or gender.
Step-by-step explanation:
Discrimination is the unjust or unequal treatment of an individual or group based on a specific characteristic, such as their race, age, or gender identity. In the United States, a number of laws forbid discrimination on the basis of age, disability, national origin, pregnancy, race/color, religion, or sex.¹ Globally, the United Nations (UN) has passed conventions on eliminating all forms of racial discrimination and discrimination against women.²
While prejudice refers to biased thinking, discrimination consists of actions against a group of people. Discrimination can be based on race, ethnicity, age, religion, health, and other categories. For example, discrimination based on race or ethnicity can take many forms, from unfair housing practices such as redlining to biased hiring systems. Overt discrimination has long been part of U.S. history. In the late nineteenth century, it was not uncommon for business owners to hang signs that read, "Help Wanted: No Irish Need Apply." And southern Jim Crow laws, with their "Whites Only" signs, exemplified overt discrimination that is not tolerated today.
Discrimination involves acting on the belief that members of a certain group are inferior solely because of a factor such as race, gender, or religion. There are many types of discrimination but the focus here will be on discrimination in labor markets, which arises if workers with the same skill levels as measured by education, experience, and expertise receive different pay receive different pay or have different job opportunities because of their race or gender.