In this article, we argue that research concerning workplace discrimination could be advanced by considering ‘everyday discrimination,’ that is, the subtle, pervasive discriminatory acts experienced by members of stigmatized groups on a daily basis. Three studies are reported which use secondary data analysis techniques to provide evidence for the existence of everyday workplace discrimination against Blacks. In addition to demonstrating the occurrence of such discrimination, evidence is presented which indicates that the experience of everyday discrimination is negatively associated with various indicators of well-being. The implications of these findings for organizations and for discrimination researchers are discussed.

Factors contributing to business recovery 6-8 months after Hurricane Katrina were examined. Managers from 183 surviving organizations in the Greater New Orleans area rated the levels of storm preparation, amount of storm damage, severity of storm-related problems and organizational performance. Factors under management's control such as having an emergency response plan, storm preparation and effective staff communication had no real impact on organizational performance. Significant predictors with a negative impact on organizational performance included variables such as storm damage and post-disaster problems. Complications arising from extreme population dislocation, specifically loss of customer base and staffing issues, had the greatest impact on organizational performance. The implications for disaster preparation and management are discussed.

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To investigate predisaster mental illness as a risk factor of poor postdisaster mental health outcomes, veterans with (n = 249) and without (n = 250) preexisting mental illness residing in the Gulf Coast during Hurricane Katrina were surveyed after Katrina and screened for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and panic. Logistic regression examined the association between preexisting mental disorders and positive screens after the hurricane, adjusting for demographics and exposure to hurricane-related stressors. The odds of screening positive for any new mental disorder were 6.8 times greater for those with preexisting mental illness compared with those without preexisting mental illness. Among those with preexisting PTSD, the odds of screening positive for any new mental illness were 11.9 times greater; among those with schizophrenia, 9.1 times greater; and among those with affective disorders, 4.4 times greater. Persons with preexisting mental illnesses, particularly PTSD, should be considered a high-risk group for poor outcomes after a disaster.

To date, few hurricane trauma-related studies have focused on racial variations in psychological outcomes such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following natural disaster exposure. Of those that have reported racial differences in postdisaster outcomes, only some have controlled for covariates such as preexisting vulnerability factors (i.e., prior mental health problems), during-disaster factors (i.e., exposure severity) and postdisaster factors (i.e., social support). The present investigation examined racial differences in postdisaster clinical outcomes (positive screen for and new onset of PTSD), while controlling for these factors, among a sample of 304 military veterans 2½ years after being exposed to Hurricane Katrina. The sample was composed of 149 African American and 155 White survivors. Bivariate results revealed racial differences in age, education, income, number of chronic medical problems, lifetime traumatic events, and Katrina traumatic events. Racial differences were identified in PTSD outcomes, with African American veterans more likely to have post-Katrina PTSD than Whites, 40% versus 27%, respectively. Racial differences in new onset PTSD remained after adjustment for covariates. Post hoc analyses, however, indicated that racial differences remained significant only for veterans with combat experience. Significant covariates included employment status, number of prior lifetime traumatic experiences, number of Katrina-related traumatic stressors, and current social support. In general, the difference in post-Katrina PTSD appeared to be associated with lifetime traumatic events and stressors, including those experienced during Hurricane Katrina and those prior to the hurricane, especially military combat for African American survivors.