Workplace Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Utah

Disparities are inequalities or differences in the way that people are treated in situations where they should be treated alike.1 Disparities can happen in different settings within society, but three of the most-studied areas where disparities impact health are healthcare, education, or the workplace. Unfortunately, there have always been racial and ethnic disparities in workplaces across the U.S.,2 with many workers treated differently based on their race or ethnicity. 

Racial and ethnic disparities can be found at any stage of employment, including recruitment, hiring, training, retention, and promotion. These disparities can also take different forms. When compared to white peers, people of color more often experience racial discrimination3 and/or work in lower-quality jobs.4 These workers must also frequently contend with occupational segregation, a term that describes uneven representation in jobs with different earnings and working conditions.5 These forms of racial and ethnic disparities translate to lower wages, worse working conditions, longer hours, lower benefits, more strains on mental health, and more stress in areas of life outside of work. The COVID-19 pandemic has made many of these issues and divisions even more stark.6

Racial and ethnic disparities constitute an important topic for occupational health. For one thing, these issues impact so many workers, especially those who are already disadvantaged by socioeconomic status, education levels, and/or immigration status. There is one promising way forward, however. Since these issues are so intertwined with other areas of worker safety and occupational health, making improvements in how people of all races are treated can simultaneously better workers’ prospects in multiple areas.

This topic in Utah

Utah’s population is growing more diverse each year, with both immigrant and naturalized US citizens of many different racial and ethnic backgrounds.7 This means that not only are racial and ethnic disparities are present in Utah workplaces, but addressing them is a key concern for worker well-being here. 

At the broader level, racial harassment and microaggressions are a known problem in the state.8 Trends in Utah employment both past and present can intensify these issues. In early Utah history, early labor movements here often tried to pit white railroad workers against their Chinese peers.9 While laws today generally protect workers from experiences like these, there are gaps in protections that mean that all workers may not have access to the same rights. For example, small businesses in Utah with fewer than 15 employees are not legally required to provide protections for workers on account of race, gender, and other protected identity categories.10 Exceptions like these can leave some workers without recourse if such disparities do occur. 

Much like in the US at large, COVID-19 made these divisions in Utah especially stark. Reports have shown that those in Utah who suffered from workplace outbreaks of the coronavirus were overwhelmingly frontline workers from the Hispanic/Latino community who worked in trades like manufacturing, construction, and wholesale. Workers in these occupations could not shift to working from home. Exacerbating the problem was the reality that these jobs were often poorly monitored for alignment with COVID-19 guidelines, all of which resulted in an estimated 60%-76% of all confirmed cases of COVID-19 coming from workers in these trades.11, 12 Thanks to factors like disproportionately high representation among frontline work and healthcare insecurity, the rates of infection, hospitalization, and mortality from COVID-19 were higher among racially and ethnically diverse communities.13 

Policymakers in Utah have teamed up with researchers to better understand and address these issues.14 In 2023, the Salt Lake Chamber also created the Utah Compact on Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, one of whose principles is to create and promote fair business and employment culture for all in the state.15 Many of these initiatives may be set back by recent legislature prohibiting DEI hiring and activity in schools and workplaces.16