Which scenario best illustrates direct discrimination in promotions?

• A. Not promoting someone due to poor performance
• B. Not promoting someone due to their religion
• C. Not promoting someone due to lack of experience
• D. Not promoting someone due to budget cuts

Answer: (B)

Direct discrimination happens when a promotion is denied because of a protected characteristic, not because of that person’s abilities or qualifications. Not promoting someone due to their religion fits this exactly: the decision rests on the person’s religion, a protected trait, rather than on job-related factors.

In contrast, not promoting someone for poor performance is about how they meet the role’s requirements, which is a legitimate basis for promotion decisions. Lack of experience is also a qualification issue tied to what the job requires. Budget cuts, while impacting promotions, are about resource constraints and usually affect multiple people or the organization as a whole, not a single individual because of a protected characteristic.

So, the scenario involving religion is the clear example of direct discrimination.