Workplace Discrimination in Bulgaria: Trends, Risk Factors, and Coping Mechanisms

The paper explores workplace discrimination in Bulgaria in the context of labor insecurity, focusing on current discriminatory trends during hiring processes and work interactions. Drawing on data from a broad study on individual and institutional strategies to manage risk, the research highlights labor discrimination, particularly affecting marginalized groups. The study also explores the intersections of various protected characteristics, such as gender, age, ethnicity, and disability, showing how discrimination manifests and accumulates across multiple dimensions.The study also analyses public awareness of non-discrimination rights and identifies common strategies utilised by individuals to combat workplace discrimination.

The findings reveal considerable disparities in discrimination experiences among various demographic groups, with vulnerable populations, including women with children and individuals with disabilities, encountering heightened risks of discrimination during the hiring process, whereas aging people and ethnic minorities are at highest risk of discrimination in established employment relationships. The results reveal significant shortcomings in legal awareness and institutional responses to discrimination, emphasising the need for more effective strategies to foster inclusive workplaces.

The key findings regarding coping strategies indicate a significant number of individuals who would refrain from seeking assistance from others, alongside a substantial proportion who would consult a lawyer directly. This suggests a lack of trust in institutions and reflects an organisational culture that normalises discrimination.