Workplace Discrimination. You have a right to work free from discrimination.Racial discrimination in the workplace occurs when a current employee, or an applicant for a job, is treated unfavorably because of their race. Discrimination is when someone is denied equal rights due to a protected trait. Learn about the Equal Pay Act, Brown v. This section provides an overview of the types of evidence necessary to prove intentional discrimination under Title VI. Federal and state law prohibit Michigan employers from discriminating against employees based on certain characteristics, such as race or religion. The legal definition of discrimination. Example: A woman fills out a job application form and goes back with a friend to drop it off. As it currently stands, Michigan is the only state in the union to explicitly prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of weight.