All individuals deserve to enjoy equal employment opportunities. Yet, in far too many instances, employers engage in discriminatory behaviors that have tremendous ramifications for workers.
Those who have been discriminated against may be demoted, passed over for a job or a promotion, face pay cuts and reduced hours, be subject to changed work assignments, or even wrongfully terminated. This is unfair, which is why those who have been discriminated against in the workplace need to be prepared to take legal action.
But before you can do that, you have to know that you were actually discriminated against. This sounds obvious, but a lot of workers who have been discriminated against chalk their employer’s egregious behavior up to isolated incidences or inappropriate actions that don’t quite rise to the level of workplace discrimination.
This is true in all cases, but those who are subjected to gender discrimination are particularly susceptible to this issue. That’s why this week on the blog we want to take a closer look at the signs that you’ve been subjected to gender discrimination.
Signs that you’ve been subjected to gender discrimination
Discrimination takes many forms, which is why you’ll need to be on your toes and observant when assessing whether you’ve been discriminated against in the workplace. Here are some red flags to be on the lookout for that are indicative that your employer has engaged in gender discrimination:
- Women aren’t hired into certain positions at the business.
- Women are regularly passed over for promotion.
- Those individuals who occupy management and other executive positions are predominantly male.
- Members of one gender are disciplined disproportionately and more severely than those of the opposite gender.
- Termination decisions seem to fall along gender lines.
- Members of opposite genders receive different pay for completing the same job.
- Members of one gender receive inadequate training compared to those of the other gender.
- Women are asked questions about pregnancy and the desire to have a family during an interview.
There may be other indicators of gender harassment occurring in your workplace. That’s why you’ll want to be observant and take note of anything that seems suspicious.
What can you do to prove gender discrimination?
The answer to this question depends on the facts of your case. That said, there are some steps that are common in all discrimination cases that you’ll want to be sure to take. This includes:
- Raising all concerns of discrimination and harassment to your employer’s human resources department.
- Keeping track of all written communications that you have with your employer that may be indicative of discrimination or retaliation.
- Talking to co-workers who may have observed discrimination or harassment occurring in the workplace.
- Keeping a journal of all instances of discrimination or harassment.
- Documenting how the discriminatory behavior in question has impacted your life, including tracking costs associated with securing new employment.
By taking these steps, you’ll hopefully position yourself for a successful claim that leads to accountability and the recovery of the compensation that you deserve.
Are you ready to act on your employer’s discriminatory practices?
If so, then you’ll want to be diligent in building your case. You’ll need to analyze the evidence, familiarize yourself with the law, and be prepared to counter your employer’s defense arguments.
This can be difficult to do if you’re unfamiliar with the legal process, but don’t worry. You can find support to help you get through the process. By doing so, you’ll be able to have your voice heard and hopefully secure the outcome that you deserve while also deterring your employer from engaging in discriminatory behavior in the future.