
When does differential treatment apply equally under the law?
This reasoning also applies equally in situations where the differential treatment results from international obligations other than those concerning the EU right of free movement.
Is differential treatment based on reasonable and objective justification?
However, the Court held that the alleged differential treatment was based on a reasonable and objective justification because Belgium belonged, together with the other Member States of the EU (then the EC), to a ‘special legal order’, which had ‘in addition, established its own citizenship’. 74
Is there a pattern to differential treatment in the workplace?
That being said, there is usually a pattern (rather than a single instance) to differential treatment. There are a huge range of workplace scenarios that can take place that will ultimately affect an employee’s ability to reach his or her full professional potential.
Why is there a differential treatment for nationals of certain states?
Nevertheless, the nationals of certain states are exempted from the conditions imposed by the Act because such exemption is required by international agreements. It follows that the purpose of this exemption (and hence of the differential treatment) is to ensure compliance with these agreements.

What is differential treatment in law?
In the employment context, differential treatment often means that an employer treats a group of employees differently from other groups because of specific characteristics that they are unable to change. If your employer engages in differential treatment, it may be unlawful if it is for a discriminatory purpose.
Is differential treatment illegal?
If the differential treatment is caused by discrimination, it's illegal. You might notice that only employees with certain characteristics are treated unfairly and that there is a pattern of this behavior.
What is it called when your boss treats you differently?
Disparate treatment is a way to prove illegal employment discrimination. An employee who makes a disparate treatment claim alleges that he or she was treated differently than other employees who were similarly situated, and that the difference was based on a protected characteristic.
Can a company treat employees differently?
The law prohibits certain specific forms of discrimination. Under federal law (which is enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or EEOC), an employer can't treat employees differently due to their race, national origin, color, sex, age 40 or over, disability, or religion.
Should all employees be treated equally?
Respecting each individual and treating them as equal team members, regardless of position, is paramount. If you're in a managerial position, remember you can, of course, have a good relationship with other staff members but keeping relationships professional and unbiased whilst at work will instill fairness.
Can you sue for being treated differently at work?
Under California law, it is a civil right to have the opportunity to seek and hold employment without discrimination based on race, religion, sexual orientation, and other forms of unlawful discrimination. Employees who are discriminated against can file a lawsuit against their employers for unlawful discrimination.
How can we prevent unfair treatment at work?
If you are being treated unfairly in the workplace, there are a number of steps you can take in order to protect your rights:Document The Unfair Treatment. ... Report The Unfair Treatment. ... Stay Away From Social Media. ... Take Care Of Yourself. ... Contact An Experienced Lawyer.
What do you do if you are being treated unfairly at work?
File a Complaint or Report It is against the law for an employer to retaliate because an employee reported harassment, unfair treatment, or other employer wrongdoing. Unfortunately, just because the employer can't take specific actions under the law, it doesn't actually prevent the employer from doing so.
What to do when you are treated unfairly?
Here are seven things you can do if you think you might be being treated differently to others.Keep a record. ... Unfairness or discrimination? ... Talk to someone you trust. ... Join your Union. ... Go through official channels. ... Seek legal advice. ... You don't have to tolerate unfair treatment.
What are the 3 basic employment rights for a worker?
The three basic rights of workers include rights concerning pay, hours and discrimination. Workers are entitled to these rights through the law and may declare their employer if they do not respect these rights.
Can I get fired for not answering my phone?
So to summarize, yes, your boss can fire you for not answering your phone on your day off. Some employers are respectful of employees' time off. Others may abuse at-will employment laws and harass you consistently on your days off. In fact, they may consider it part of your job.
What is it called when your boss singles you out?
If your manager singles you out or holds you to a different standard it is often a sign of harassment. Whether it is enough to bring a federal legal claim will depend on whether your supervisor's activity creates a course of conduct or was simply an isolated incident.
Is Differential Treatment Illegal?
It might seem like treating employees differently would always be illegal, but this is not the case. While it might not seem fair and can be hurtful, there are many times when treating employees differently is not illegal. Employers may have many reasons as to why they give certain employees one type of treatment and a different type to others.
When is Differential Treatment Illegal?
There are many examples of situations where differential treatment is legal, but there are still instances where this behavior can be illegal. If the differential treatment is caused by discrimination, it’s illegal. You might notice that only employees with certain characteristics are treated unfairly and that there is a pattern of this behavior.
NYC Employment Discrimination Lawyers Who Can Help
You deserve to be treated fairly in your workplace. While this doesn’t always happen, and there are many times when you can’t take legal action to get help, if you’re experiencing discrimination or retaliation, there are options.
What is differential treatment?
As you can see, differential treatment is something that is very specific to the company. That being said, there is usually a pattern (rather than a single instance) to differential treatment.
Is "different" a good thing?
In a Washington employment law context, different is not usually a good thing. Different is an adjective most often used to show how certain employees are being treated differently because of something he or she cannot change about themselves.
What is differential treatment?
It is generally accepted under international law that such distinctions are justified, at least within the context of immigration policy. 44 However, states can also differentiate between aliens of different nationalities, as is the case under the Act on Integration Abroad. In this situation the differentiation ground is also nationality, but the distinction is not between nationals and non-nationals. It is this latter form of differential treatment that is investigated in this section. To avoid terminological confusion, however, the first type of differential treatment (between nationals and non-nationals) is henceforth referred to as ‘differential treatment on the grounds of alienage’. Where mention is made of ‘differential treatment on the ground of nationality’, this refers to a differentiation between aliens.
What is differential treatment on the basis of nationality?
This section examines the legal standards set by the above provisions on differential treatment on the basis of nationality, especially in admission cases. First, however, a preliminary remark is made about the meaning of the term ‘nationality’. In section III.A a distinction is drawn between nationality and the related concepts of alienage and national origin. It is also argued that nationality – unlike national origin – is not a forbidden discrimination ground within the meaning of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD). Section III.B then assesses whether nationality qualifies as a ‘suspect ground’, which would imply that differentiations based on this ground will require very strong justification. Next, the reasons for justification are discussed in section III.C. As the reasons that could be adduced to justify differential treatment are in principle unlimited, this chapter focuses on the reasons provided by the Dutch government in relation to the AIA. Section III.D discusses Dutch case law with regard to differential treatment on the grounds of nationality, in particular where the AIA is concerned.
What is the margin of appreciation in discrimination cases?
When a complaint of unjustified differential treatment or discrimination is assessed by an international court or other supervisory body, the outcome of the case will be influenced by the scope of the review. Depending on the extent of this review, the respondent state will have more or less discretion in determining whether a particular difference in treatment is based on a reasonable and objective justification. In ECtHR case law this is known as the doctrine of the ‘margin of appreciation’, which plays a role in cases concerning Article 14 ECHR as well as in relation to other Convention rights. 27
What is the right to equal treatment in the Netherlands?
The right to equal treatment is also laid down in Article 1 of the Dutch Constitution, which provides that all who are present in the Netherlands shall be treated equally in equal cases and prohibits discrimination on ‘any ground’. 17 Article 1 applies independently of other rights and freedoms and covers each of the issues discussed in this chapter. However, while the scope of this provision is rather broad, its requirements are not very specific. More detailed norms regarding equal treatment have been laid down in a number of national legislative measures, but these are not applicable to the field of immigration policy. 18 The relevance of Article 1 of the Dutch Constitution is also limited by the fact that the Dutch courts are not allowed to assess the constitutionality of legislation at the national level. 19 As a result, judicial interpretation has added little clarity to the meaning of Article 1 of the Dutch Constitution.
What is the principle of equal treatment?
This principle is often conveyed by the formula that ‘equal situations must be treated in the same way and unequal situations must be treated differently to the degree of their inequality’ . 1 Yet the meaning of the equal treatment principle does not lend itself to precise definition. As various authors have noted, the requirement for equal situations to be treated the same way is of a formal nature and does not tell us when two cases are equal or what equal treatment consists of. 2 The determination that situations are equal or unequal always, therefore, rests on a value judgement that is external to the equal treatment principle itself. 3 The same is true with regard to the question of whether a particular form of unequal treatment is nevertheless acceptable because of being based on a reasonable justification (section II.C). Because of this ‘normative indeterminacy’, 4 the equal treatment principle as such provides little guidance with regard to the issues addressed in this chapter. Nevertheless, the principle has been translated into a number of legal norms, including provisions in human rights treaties. Through the formulation and application of such norms, the equal treatment principle has gained content. The relevant legal provisions are described below.
Is equal treatment a violation of the Dutch Constitution?
Clearly however, not all differential treatment constitutes a violation of these provisions. Law-making typically entails the use of distinctions and categorisations, and it is therefore hard to see how a legal system could be maintained without any form of differential treatment. 21 When, for example, implementing measures in the field of education, distinctions may be made between children with and without disabilities or with different learning capabilities. Such forms of differential treatment are not normally regarded as problematic from a legal perspective because they are based on reasons considered acceptable. Consequently, the right to equal treatment only prohibits differential treatment that cannot be justified. 22
Does Article 21 apply to nationality discrimination?
While it can be derived a contrario from Article 21 (2) that this does not include nationality-based discrimination, it is submitted that Article 21 (1) does in principle apply to differential treatment on the grounds of residence purpose.
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Scenarios of Differential Treatment That Might Be Unlawful
Types of Differential Treatment That Are Not Illegal
- There are some cases in which differential treatment at your work is lawful. For example, if your employer treats you poorly because of your job performance, that is not unlawful. Employers are allowed to treat workers differently based on their individual job performance and can discipline and reward them differently based on that. It is also not unlawful for an employer to treat an em…
Treatment That Is Discriminatory in Nature
- When your employer treats workers differently because of their protected characteristics, the differential treatment is discriminatory and illegal. Some of the protected characteristics include the following: 1. Race 2. Color 3. National origin 4. Age 5. Gender 6. Disability 7. Pregnancy status 8. Sexual orientation Under federal and state anti-discrimination laws, employers are prohibited f…
What Can You Do If You Have Received Discriminatory Treatment?
- When employers treat workers differently because of their protected characteristics, the actions of the employer are illegal. Employees who have been the victims of workplace discrimination can file discrimination charges with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or the state’s corresponding agency. Once a charge has been filed, the EEOC will investigate it. If the employe…
B. The Right to Equal Treatment – Relevant Legal Provisions
C. Justification of Differential Treatment
D. Scope of Review and The Relevance of ‘Suspect Grounds’
E. Formal and Substantive Equality and Indirect Differential Treatment
A. Preliminary Remark: Nationality, Alienage and National Origin
- i. Nationality and Alienage
Differential treatment on the grounds of nationality may take various forms. In the first place, a state may differentiate between persons who are nationals of that state and persons with the nationality of other states (‘aliens’). It is generally accepted under international law that such dist… - ii. Nationality and National Origin
From a legal perspective the distinction made above is significant because, as is submitted here, nationality as a legal status is not included in the definition of ‘racial discrimination’ provided in Article 1(1) of the CERD.47 While this definition mentions ‘national origin’, this term does not ref…
B. Is Nationality A ‘Suspect Ground’?