It is no secret that discrimination and unequal treatment permeate society in many of its layers. Legal paperwork is no exception. While everyone needs to have fundamental legal arrangements in place, such as a will of inheritance, real estate insurance, power of attorney in case of an emergency, and rental agreements, minorities are at a disadvantage when it comes to paying high attorney fees, taking time off their demanding jobs, and dealing with pre-tenancy issues.
Luckily, there is more awareness being raised regarding those issues with time, and the hardship of minorities is being recognized. One way in which these groups can gain an equal footing is by using online documents and forms for their legal necessities.
But, the problem with requiring minorities to show up in person in order to take care of legal issues is two-fold.
On one hand, most minorities hold blue-collar jobs that have very inflexible schedules and do not allow them to leave in the middle of the day to go to an institution or to take a day off. By being able to complete online documents from the comfort of their own home, minorities can rest assured that their needs are taken care of without having to change their schedule or request unpaid vacation days.
The other issue with having to show up personally to do paperwork is that there may be language barriers. Being put on the spot at an English-speaking agency while speaking another language as somebody’s first can be a nerve-wracking and distressing experience.
Pay equality has been a struggle for decades, often based on gender, ethnicity, and race.
Things don’t get much better when investigating the C-suite, where black women make up only one percent of corporate officers.
The pay gap makes it unequivocally harder for minorities to afford expensive legal services. The price of preparing a living will, for example, varies between $250 and $500. For somebody whose median income is $31,500 a year before tax, that’s a steep price to pay for just one component of all the documents that are needed. Then, there’s car insurance, real estate insurance, setting up a power of attorney, and a whole lot more.
Innovative companies have taken note of the financial burden and have now started providing online documents and forms completely free of charge or at a minimal cost. Now, anybody, regardless of their race, gender, and ethnicity, can access high-quality legal documents and forms and prepare all they need without breaking the bank.
Minorities are not only at a financial disadvantage but also put in a tough spot when it comes to securing accommodation. Pre-tenancy issues among minority groups are not at all uncommon.
This is why it’s crucial to have a clear contract in place when renting out a home as a minority.
There are various rental agreements depending on whether the tenant is using only half of a house or apartment or the whole thing. Furthermore, the condition of the rental property needs to be listed out in great detail so that tenants don’t incur charges for damages they did not cause.
This is why it is crucial for minorities to do their research and know which clauses exactly they need to insist upon so that they don’t end up being scammed or extorted. Luckily, there is a wealth of knowledge online that is there to educate minorities on how they ought to be treated by landlords and what they should and should not sign.
Even though the world is evolving rapidly and becoming more tolerant and inclusive, there is still discrimination based on race, gender, sexuality, and ethnicity. With the help of technology, these issues are becoming easier to eradicate. As technology boosts development on a global scale, it is also setting the stage for a world where equal treatment is soon to become a reality. Knowing and being able to protect one’s rights is fundamental for any human.