Poll shows most people in Czech Republic believe there is workplace discrimination

Five out of six people in the Czech Republic (85 %) believe people belonging to various groups are discriminated against in employment. The most frequent kind of discrimination is said to be against people in certain age categories or people with deteriorated health or disabilities. The Czech Press Agency reports these are the results of the most recent poll by the STEM company.

Not quite one-third of people claim that intentional disadvantaging in the workplace “definitely” takes place. On the other hand, only 1 % of those polled were definite in their view that discrimination in employment does not occur. STEM first started polling on this issue in 2004 and the numbers of those perceiving workplace discrimination as a fact are the highest ever recorded. Compared to the last such poll conducted in November 2010, the perception has grown by nine percentage points.

The vast majority of people, 87 %, claim intentional disadvantaging is most often committed because of a job seeker’s age. Three-fourths of respondents listed one’s state of health as the most frequent reason, 69 % maternity or pregnancy, 59 % racial origin. Disadvantaging because of faith or religion was said to occur by only 7 % of respondents, and only 14 % of people believe discrimination occurs because of sexual orientation or political beliefs.

People perceive workplace discrimination very similarly irrespective of their own age, education level or political orientation. The opinions of employees and entrepreneurs or the self-employed on the issue were also fundamentally the same. Certain differences were reported in the opinions of men and women and people of various income levels. The poll took place from 31 March – 8 April and included 1 286 people 18 years of age and older.