As workplaces struggle with becoming more diverse and fair to all workers, one of the biggest problems that continues to be at the forefront is gender discrimination. Most often done against women, this form of discrimination hurts companies and workers in many ways. According to recent data, despite having the same levels of education and experience as their male coworkers, women continue to be paid at a rate of only 82 percent of what men earn for doing the same job. Because of this, problems such as low morale, workplace conflicts, and even legal action become much more common. To solve the problem of gender discrimination, it is first important to learn more about its various causes and effects.
Too Few Women in Certain Occupations
For many years, there have been various occupations in which few if any women were employed. These often included building construction, auto mechanics, welding, engineering, and other career fields. While it is true women have made strides in these and other careers, for the most part they are still grossly under-represented in these areas. As a result, many males in these jobs have come to believe over the years that women simply do not belong in these occupations, and often resent it when a woman does obtain a job alongside them. As a result, gender discrimination often takes place in the form of derogatory remarks, lack of advancement opportunities, and other types of discrimination. If you find yourself facing these obstacles and your workplace getting worse by the day, contact a gender discrimination lawyer to discuss your available legal options.
A Backward Way of Thinking
While it is very common for gender discrimination to occur in predominantly male-dominated industries, it is also quite common for it to take place in workplaces that are actually very diverse. However, if male managers, executives, and business owners share a lack of progressive and open thinking about women in the workplace, gender discrimination can continue to keep many women from advancing in their careers or even being hired for certain positions. In many cases, these companies will have a long history of gender discrimination against women, but have done a good job of hiding their practices. If you believe you are the victim of gender discrimination, do not hesitate to consult with an employment attorney in Los Angeles. By doing so, your attorney may be able to uncover other incidents of discrimination that point to a pattern of illegal hiring practices or other problems within a company.
Increasing Conflict and Tension
In most cases where gender discrimination is taking place, the workplace is filled with large amounts of conflict and tension each day. No matter the setting, it becomes almost impossible for daily tasks to be performed without problems developing between male and female coworkers. As a result, motivation and morale levels tend to plummet, leading to additional problems with productivity. When this happens, the company's profits can ultimately be affected, leading to a variety of other problems. In fact, as conflict and tension continue to increase, the focus for many female employees turns from focusing on the tasks associated with their job to what actions they can potentially take against their employer. When a situation erodes to this point, it is time to contact an experienced and knowledgeable discrimination attorney at West Coast Employment Lawyers.
Lower Profits and the Ripple Effect
While many people assume gender discrimination only affects those workers who are victims of the discriminatory practices, the fact is ultimately all workers within a company fall victim to the effects of the discrimination. As mentioned earlier, conflict and tension leads to lower productivity among workers. When this happens, the company makes less money, leading to many serious issues. For example, lower profits can result in a company failing to keep pace with the latest technology, which can lead to a loss of business. If this occurs, employees could face layoffs or job cuts, and in extreme cases a company may find itself shutting its doors forever. Rather than let things get to this point, it is far better for company executives and owners to resolve matters of gender discrimination as quickly as possible. Thus, should you believe you are being discriminated against because of your gender, work closely with a skilled gender discrimination lawyer. By doing so, they can point out to an employer the many negative consequences that may result from failing to solve this problem, often prompting a company to then take appropriate action.
Legal Action
While many employers may attempt to turn their heads and not deal with a problem of gender discrimination, the last thing a company wants is to have legal action taken against them. If you have exhausted all internal channels within your company of getting the problem resolved to everyone's satisfaction, it may be time to pursue legal action. Since gender discrimination is illegal thanks to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, you as an employee will have a variety of legal options available to you. To begin with, you can contact the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and file a formal complaint with the agency. While EEOC investigations take an average of 10 months to complete, they are very thorough and potentially very damaging to an employer. Also, once an investigation is completed, you will also have the option to file a discrimination lawsuit against your employer and the individuals directly responsible for the discrimination. While your employer may ignore you when you first bring up instances of gender discrimination, they will not be able to ignore federal investigations or lawsuits. Therefore, should you deem it necessary, hire a gender discrimination attorney to help guide you through this complex process and make sure your legal rights are protected each step of the way.
Changing Job Requirements
To solve the problem of gender discrimination, many companies are now looking at ways to increase the diversity of their workforce. One of the most common and effective ways is to change job requirements for certain occupations, which often allows more women the chance to be hired for these jobs. For example, instead of requiring years of related experience, many companies now choose to provide on-the-job training. By doing so, women who have been out of the workforce for several years, such as stay-at-home moms, have a chance to reenter the workforce in a position that previously would not have been available to them.
Sensitivity Training
For some companies, having male employees attend sensitivity training workshops has proven to be very effective. Along with obtaining classroom training that teaches them the various aspects of gender discrimination, this training also allows them to take part in role-playing exercises that attempt to show them the humiliation and anxiety that gender discrimination victims experience. In addition to this, most workshops also have presentations given by a gender discrimination lawyer. During these sessions, the gender discrimination attorney can provide key details on what is involved with a discrimination complaint or lawsuit, and how these can adversely impact a company.
If you have been the victim of gender discrimination, don't sit back and do nothing. Instead, schedule a consultation with the knowledgeable legal professionals at West Coast Employment Lawyers.
