Gender discrimination has been illegal in the workplace since 1964, under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Being prohibited is one thing; being eradicated is another. While there have been many improvements, it still exists widely throughout the U.S., even if it has become somewhat subtler.
What the numbers show
If you consider that women make up roughly half the population, it would seem logical that about half the management positions in companies would be women. Yet only 37 of the Fortune 500 chief executive officers (CEOs) are female.
If gender equality truly existed, women would receive the same wage for the same work as men. Yet a 2018 survey found that on average, women earn 82% of a man’s salary. In Wisconsin, women working full time earn $9,945 less than men, on average.
There have been many high-profile examples in the television and film world of male presenters or actors earning far more than their female counterparts. The same is true for most sports, where the women’s prizes and wages are generally less than the men’s.
You have options
As a woman, you may sense that your employer has discriminated against you because of your gender. You may know it, but sometimes, it can be challenging to prove. If you question your employer for promoting a less qualified male colleague instead of you, they are unlikely to admit it was because you are a woman. They would probably claim it due to something else.
You have every right to question what you believe are gender-based discriminatory actions, without the fear of retaliation for doing so. The more that people are willing to challenge an employer’s discriminatory behavior, the sooner change will come for all. At Alan C. Olson & Associates, we can help you seek the justice you deserve.
