Discrimination in its root meaning refers to the act of distinguishing one object from another.

In modern usage, the term refers to "wrongful discrimination," or distinguishing among people on the basis of prejudice instead of individual merit. Discrimination in employment involves three basic elements:
It must be a decision not based on individual merit. The decision must derive from racial or sexual prejudice. The decision must have a harmful impact on the interest of employees

Discriminatory acts can be categorized according to the extent to which they are intentional and institutionalized. An act may be part of the isolated behavior of an individual:

An act may be part of the systematic routine of a group that unintentionally discriminates because group members uncritically incorporate the discriminatory practices of society.

Intentionally discriminates based on personal prejudice. An act may be part of the routine, institutionalized behavior of a group. The act must intentionally discriminate out of personal prejudice. An act may be part of the isolated behavior of a single individual who unintentionally discriminates because he or she uncritically adopts the practices and stereotypes of his or her society

Discrimination exists when a disproportionate number of a certain group's members hold less desirable positions despite their preferences and abilities. Three types of comparisons provide evidence:
Comparisons of average benefits given to various groups, Comparisons of the proportion of a group found in the lowest levels of the institution, Comparisons of the proportion of a group found in the most advantageous positions in the institution.

Income comparisons are the most suggestive indicators of discrimination. Income gap between whites and blacks has not decreased

Similar inequalities found based on gender.

black average family income remains about 65% that of whites. Ratio between male/female earnings getting equal, largely due not to a rise in female earnings but a drop in male earnings. Disparities begin immediately after graduation, female college graduates earn as much as male high school graduates. In every occupational group, women earn less than men.

Poverty rate among minorities is 2 3 times higher than among the majority group. Families headed by single women fall below the poverty level than those headed by single men Lowest income group comparisons and desirable occupation comparisons give similar results. Statistics showed that:
Larger proportions of minorities and women are poor, Larger proportions of white males have the most desirable occupations. The more women who work in an occupation, the lower the average pay for that job.

Well-paying occupations reserved for men and remainder for women The more women working in an occupation, the lower the pay for that occupation Women managers not promoted from middle-management positions into topmanagement posts

Inequalities found in businesses should be address and if wrong should be changed. Arguments against discrimination fall into three groups:
utilitarian arguments, rights arguments, justice arguments.

The utilitarian argument against discrimination maintains that society's productivity will be highest when jobs are awarded based on competence or merit. Discrimination based on anything else is inefficient and counter to utility. Criticism of Utilitarian arguments:

if jobs assigned on the basis of job-related qualifications to advance public welfare, and if public welfare is advanced to greater degree by assigning jobs on basis of other factor not related to job performance, then the utilitarian would have to hold that in those situations jobs should not be assigned on the basis of job related qualifications, but on the basis of that other factor. it might be true that society as a whole would benefit by having some group discriminated against

Other, non-utilitarian arguments against discrimination maintain that it is wrong because it violates people's basic human rights. Kant says that humans should be treated as ends in themselves and never as a means to an end. Therefore, discrimination is wrong because it violates people's rights to be treated as equals. Kantian thinkers argue that discrimination is wrong because the person who discriminates would not want to see his or her behavior universalized (at least they would not want to change places with the victim of their own discrimination).

A third group of arguments against discrimination views it as unjust. Rawls argues that it is unjust to give some people more opportunity than others. Another argument sees it as a form of injustice because individuals who are equal in all relevant respects cannot be treated differently just because they differ in other, non-relevant respects. Criticism:

difficult to account what is relevant and to explain why sex and race are not relevant, but intelligence is.