Over the past five decades, incredible strides have been made in furthering gender equality in the workplace. Thanks to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the thousands of female pioneers who opened doors for them, today's women have more opportunities than ever before, especially in industries previously dominated by men.
Yet, there are still obstacles blocking their career paths, affecting both their roles and compensation. Despite Title VII making it illegal for an employer to discriminate against individuals based on their sex or gender in terms of employment, 30 percent of women report gender discrimination tied to pay. In fact, women earn just $0.77 for every $1.00 a man earns; for minority women, the wage dips to $0.55. Furthermore, 4 out of 10 American businesses have no women serving in upper management.
Our gender discrimination attorneys in Atlanta have seen too many businesses stand in the way of an employee's success simply because of his or her sex and/or gender. Through our years of experience, we have helped employees identify discrimination at work and sue to receive the compensation they deserve.
How to Know if You Are the Victim of Sex Discrimination
While both men and women can be discriminated against in the workplace, in almost 85 percent of cases, it is a female on the receiving end of the bias. Either way, it is illegal for an employer to form assumptions around gender stereotypes and make employment decisions based on their own prejudices.
Incidents of sex/gender discrimination often include the following:
- Inequalities in hiring or promotions: If you are not hired because a company's clients are only comfortable dealing with men or if you are laid off while men with less seniority keep their jobs, you may have a case. In fact, according to a Gallup poll, 15 percent of women believe they have been unfairly denied a promotion because of their sex.
- Inequalities in pay: Thirty percent of women report being discriminated against in terms of pay, which is illegal both under Title VII and the Equal Pay Act.
- Job classification: If your position is reduced and you receive less pay while men with lower seniority and experience can move up in the company, it may be a case of sex discrimination.
- Benefits: In many situations, companies refuse to offer women full benefit coverage, but give male employees the option to cover their entire family as they fit the stereotype of the “family breadwinner.”
In many cases, sex discrimination goes hand-in-hand with other employment claims, including pregnancy discrimination, where the pregnant mother is not offered the same rights as other employees with short-term disabilities, and sexual harassment, which creates a hostile workplace.
Justice at Work™
While sex discrimination and/or gender discrimination can be difficult to prove, protecting your career and that of others in your workplace is the goal of Barrett & Farahany. If you think you have been discriminated against, keep records of any incidents and contact our law firm. Our sex discrimination lawyers in Atlanta can file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), sue on your behalf to break your company's glass ceiling, and recover the remedies owed to you for your hard work and dedication to your job.