(d) Discrimination: unfavorable treatment of a person based on that person's membership or perceived membership in a protected class. To "discriminate" against someone means to treat that person differently, or less favorably, for some reason.Discrimination happens when an employer treats one employee less favourably than others. This means treating someone less favourably than someone else because of a protected characteristic. Discrimination is the unequal treatment of a person or group based on the social group, class or category to which they belong. The following non-exhaustive list provides examples of gender discrimination in the workplace: 1. Offensive comments about women or men in general;. In plain English, to discriminate means distinguishing, singling out, or making a distinction. We discriminate all the time in everyday life. A charge of discrimination is a signed statement asserting that an employer, union or labor organization engaged in employment discrimination.