Workplace discrimination on the basis of gender is illegal, according to both federal and state statutes. The New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (NJLAD) bans discrimination in the workplace. In 2018, New Jersey enhanced NJLAD protections by passing the Diane B Allen Equal Pay Act. Yet, women continue to face various forms of discrimination.
For decades, colleges, universities, and higher degree programs have been readying highly qualified men and women for the workplace. Yet, at the highest levels of employment, men overwhelmingly outnumber women. Today, women make up only five percent of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) positions of Fortune 500 companies.
A striking example of bias against women in the workplace is that of the early career of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg who, after graduating first in her class at Columbia Law School, could not get a job in any New York law firm. She has said of the experience that she had three strikes against her because she was female, Jewish, and a mother.
Workplace Bias
Discrimination today is seldom outright or verbally expressed. Rather, it is found in biases that are gender-based and inhibit fair advancement of women. Common problems have been noticed to repeatedly show up as biases against women in the workplace. If one or more of these patterns of conduct occur in a workplace, it is an outright violation of the law:
- Women in male-dominated industries who have to continually re-establish their credentials with supervisors to get the credit they deserve for their knowledge and experience.
- Women who are expected to take on housekeeping and secretarial duties not normally associated with their job nor assigned to male colleagues, such as party planning or note-taking.
- Women who are asked to speak on behalf of all women, thus being reduced from an equal in a profession to an uninvited and unwelcome spokesperson for an entire gender.
- Women who are passed up for promotions or for prestigious assignments because they have family commitments.
Employees should address the issue with reasonable requests to go a different way, such as asking that the assignments be rotated. A goal of NJLAD is to eliminate these biases that hold women back from advancement, equal pay, and more. However, not every instance of bias forms the basis for a successful case against gender discrimination. Regardless, if an employee feels they were discriminated based on gender, it is advised to contact an employment lawyer right away who will review each case and determine the next best steps.
South Jersey Employment Lawyers at The Law Offices of Leo B. Dubler, III, LLC Represent Victims of Gender Discrimination in the Workplace
It is not easy to know what to do after experiencing gender-based discrimination in the workplace. There are laws to protect you and you do have recourse. If you suffered gender discrimination in the workplace, it is important to contact a South Jersey employment lawyer at The Law Offices of Leo B. Dubler, III, LLC who is familiar with applicable deadlines, necessary evidence, and filing requirements. Located in Mount Laurel and Atlantic City, we serve clients throughout South Jersey, including Cherry Hill, Burlington County, and Camden County. To set up a free consultation, call us at 856-235-7075 or complete an online form.