Gender Discrimination in the Workplace: Statistics
Gender discrimination in the workplace is a serious issue that affects many employees in California and throughout the United States.
Consider the following statistics on gender discrimination in the workplace:
- In 2019, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) received more than 23,000 charges of gender discrimination
- Of those charges, the EEOC resolved 22,139 cases, securing more than $160 million in compensation for victims of gender discrimination
- According to a study by the Pew Research Center, women earn 82 cents for every dollar earned by men for the same job
- According to a study by the Center for American Progress, the gender wage gap will not close until 2059
If you have been the victim of gender discrimination, it is important to take legal action as soon as possible. The gender discrimination lawyers at M&L Law Offices can help you fight for justice.
What Is Considered Gender Discrimination?
It is illegal for an employer to discriminate against an employee or job applicant because of their gender. This includes making employment decisions based on stereotypes or assumptions about a person's abilities or characteristics because of their sex or gender.
Examples of gender discrimination in the workplace include:
- Refusing to hire a woman because the employer believes that women are not as capable as men
- Not promoting a man because the employer believes that men are more likely to be aggressive
- Asking an applicant about their family plans or childbearing plans
- Not allowing an employee to take time off to care for a newborn
- Not allowing an employee to wear clothing that is typically associated with their gender
These are just a few examples of what is considered gender discrimination. If you believe that you have been the victim of gender discrimination, you should reach out to an experienced gender discrimination lawyer in California right away.
Is Gender Discrimination Illegal?
Yes, gender discrimination is illegal under both state and federal law. In California, the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) prohibits employers from making employment decisions based on an employee's sex or gender. The law also prohibits employers from allowing a hostile work environment to persist because of an employee's sex or gender.
Under federal law, employers are prohibited from making employment decisions based on an employee's sex or gender under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VII also prohibits employers from allowing a hostile work environment to persist because of an employee's sex or gender.
What To Do If You Have Been Discriminated Against
If you have been the victim of gender discrimination, it is important to take the appropriate steps to protect your rights.
Here are some steps you can take if you have been the victim of gender discrimination:
- Document the discrimination: Write down the date, time, and location of the incident, as well as the names of any witnesses. If you have been the victim of gender discrimination over a long period of time, you should keep a journal of what happened.
- Report the discrimination: You should report the gender discrimination to your human resources department. If your employer does not have a human resources department, you should report the discrimination to your supervisor. If your supervisor is the one who is discriminating against you, you should report it to their supervisor.
- Get legal advice: You should reach out to an experienced gender discrimination lawyer in California right away. A lawyer can help you understand your rights and options.
- File a complaint with the appropriate agency: If your employer does not take your complaint seriously, you may need to file a complaint with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) or the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
- Consider taking legal action: Depending on the circumstances of your case, you may be able to take legal action against your employer. A lawyer can help you determine the best course of action for your situation.
If you have been the victim of gender discrimination, it is important to speak with an experienced gender discrimination lawyer in California as soon as possible. There are strict deadlines for filing gender discrimination claims, and if you miss the deadline, you could lose your right to take legal action.
How To Prove Gender Discrimination
Proving gender discrimination can be challenging, but it is not impossible. To prove gender discrimination, you will need to show that the employer took an adverse employment action against you because of your gender.
Here are some ways to prove gender discrimination:
- Show that you were more qualified for the job than the person who was hired
- Show that you received a negative performance review based on your gender
- Show that you were subjected to inappropriate comments or jokes about your gender
- Show that you were subjected to unwelcome sexual advances
This is just a general overview of how to prove gender discrimination. If you believe that you have been the victim of gender discrimination, you should reach out to an experienced gender discrimination lawyer in California right away. A lawyer can help you gather the evidence you need to prove your case.
How to Report Gender Discrimination
If you have been the victim of gender discrimination, you should report it to your employer right away. You should report the gender discrimination to your human resources department. If your employer does not have a human resources department, you should report the discrimination to your supervisor. If your supervisor is the one who is discriminating against you, you should report it to their supervisor.
If your employer does not take your complaint seriously, you may need to file a complaint with the appropriate agency. If you are a California employee, you can file a complaint with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH). If you are a federal employee, you can file a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). If you are not a California or federal employee, you can file a complaint with the California DFEH.
Depending on the circumstances of your case, you may be able to take legal action against your employer for gender discrimination. An experienced gender discrimination lawyer in California can help you understand your rights and options.
Gender Discrimination vs. Sex Discrimination
Gender discrimination and sex discrimination are similar, but they are not the same thing. Gender discrimination occurs when an employer treats an employee unfavorably because of their sex or gender. Sex discrimination occurs when an employer treats an employee unfavorably because of their sex.
For example, an employer who refuses to hire a woman because the employer believes that women are not as capable as men is engaging in gender discrimination. An employer who refuses to hire a man because the employer believes that men are more likely to be aggressive is engaging in sex discrimination.
In many cases, gender discrimination and sex discrimination go hand in hand. If you have been the victim of gender discrimination or sex discrimination, it is important to reach out to an experienced gender discrimination lawyer in California. A lawyer can help you understand your rights and options.
How Long Do You Have To File a Gender Discrimination Lawsuit?
In California, you have up to three years to file a gender discrimination lawsuit. If you miss the deadline, you could lose your right to take legal action. If you are a federal employee, you have up to 45 days to file a gender discrimination lawsuit against your employer. If you are not a federal employee, you have up to 180 days to file a gender discrimination lawsuit against your employer.
It is important to contact a gender discrimination lawyer in California as soon as possible. A lawyer can help you understand how the statute of limitations applies to your case and ensure that all deadlines are met.
How Much Compensation Can You Get for Gender Discrimination?
If you have been the victim of gender discrimination, you may be entitled to financial compensation. Depending on the circumstances of your case, you may be entitled to compensation for back pay, front pay, emotional distress, punitive damages, and more.
Back pay is the amount of money that you would have earned if you had not been the victim of gender discrimination. If you were fired from your job because of your gender, you may be entitled to back pay for the time you were unemployed. If you were denied a promotion because of your gender, you may be entitled to back pay for the difference between your current salary and the salary you would be earning if you had been promoted.
Front pay is the amount of money that you would have earned in the future if you had not been the victim of gender discrimination. If you were fired from your job because of your gender, you may be entitled to front pay for the amount of time it will take you to find a new job.
Emotional distress damages are compensation for the emotional pain and suffering you have experienced as a result of the gender discrimination. Punitive damages are additional compensation that is meant to punish the employer for their wrongful conduct and deter other employers from engaging in similar conduct.
These are just a few examples of the types of compensation you may be entitled to if you have been the victim of gender discrimination. If you have been the victim of gender discrimination, you should reach out to an experienced gender discrimination lawyer in California right away. A lawyer can help you understand what your gender discrimination claim may be worth.
Reach Out to Our Team Today
At M&A Law Offices, we are dedicated to providing the personalized legal guidance and representation you need and deserve. We have the skills, resources, and experience to effectively litigate your case in court. Our gender discrimination lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, which means that you do not owe us any fees unless we win your case. You can rely on us to provide you with the exceptional legal services you need and deserve.
Call our office today at (888) 716-4314 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with one of our gender discrimination attorneys in California.
