A Business-Minded Approach To Employment Law

Gender Discrimination in the Workplace

On Behalf of | Jul 7, 2021 | Uncategorized |

Gender Discrimination in the Workplace When a male physician greets four of his team members with a ‘good morning gentlemen’, knowing full well one member is female, it might seem like an insignificant matter. The truth, however, is it’s a symptomatic attitude that often occurs under the radar in various workplaces, even in the year 2021.

A study conducted and published in February 2021 found female academic medicine hospitalists continuously encounter gender-based discrimination as well as sexual harassment while in the workplace. Of the eighteen facilities surveyed during this study, women reported:

  • Sexual remarks
  • Sexual gestures
  • Suggestive looks

Frequent inappropriate touches

The study also showed female doctors stated their gender impacted their ability to progress in their career. Even though some progress has been made regarding gender equality, these are alarming reports still occurring in 2021 even though there is a federal law in place against gender discrimination.

If you treat a person worse or differently because of their gender, it is considered gender discrimination and it is unlawful. This form of discrimination is an issue throughout the entire employment process. It can occur during an interview, during the course of the workday, right up until retirement. Common examples of gender discrimination include:

  • Being handed out less demanding assignments
  • Earning a lower wage
  • Unfair treatment
  • Failure to promote
  • Receiving less support based on your gender

While the terms gender and sex do not always signify the same thing, they are often found to be interchangeable in gender discrimination lawsuits.

How to Prevent Gender Discrimination in Your Workplace

Making your employees feel appreciated and safe is your most effective means of keeping them motivated and ready to help your business grow. When you have a discrimination-free workplace, you are on the way to achieving this goal. You should not consider a worker’s gender or sex with any business decision you make.

These are steps as an employer you can take to build a company culture where gender discrimination will not and cannot survive:

Family-Friendly Insurance Plans- When a female employee gets pregnant, it should not affect her position. Create a friendly, honest, and safe workplace for all parents, even the fathers. Providing paid maternal leave is part of being family-friendly, but it should include both parents. Another positive step would be to cover your worker’s pregnancy-related health insurance under your benefits package.

Transparent Hiring and Evaluation Process- Promoting and increasing an employee should be done solely on their dedication and hard work. Make your process transparent, so all employees can see this process and understand why certain employees are moving ahead. Identify the milestones that are needed to be reached in order to qualify for a promotion or increase in pay.

Incorporate Zero-Tolerance Policies- Prevent hostile work environments and gender discrimination lawsuits by drawing a clear line identifying behaviors that will not be tolerated in your workplace. Make it clear what the consequences of such behaviors will be, so all employees know the risks and benefits of working together in a hostile-free environment.

If you own your own business or are a leader in an organization, it is in your best interest and that of the company to address legal responsibilities in regards to gender discrimination. This type of behavior not only opens you up to a gender discrimination lawsuit but will also impact the workplace performance within your business. Minimizing or covering up these actions creates a toxic work culture for all your employees.

Where to Learn More About Gender Discrimination Lawsuits

Danz Law provides expert representation for employers across South Florida. We have gained a wealth of experience in business management and operations making us one of the most prestigious South Florida law firms.

Gender discrimination lawsuits are one of the many legal claims that can be brought against you. These lawsuits can become costly and involve unnecessary litigation. Talk to one of our experienced team members and learn how we can protect you and your business from employment litigation. With more than twenty-five years of experience, Danz Law is the law firm you want on your side.

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