Women’s Equality Day is an annual celebration in the United States that recognizes significant achievements that past leaders have made in the area of women’s rights. Now, Women’s Equality Day may also serve as an occasion to focus on ways in which workplace gender discrimination still occurs, and what employees and employers can do about the issue.
What Is Women’s Equality Day?
Women’s Equality Day is August 26 in the US. It commemorates the adoption of the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1920. Said amendment rendered it illegal for both state governments and the federal government to deny somebody the right to vote due to their sex or gender. August 26th has been recognized as Women’s Equality Day every year since 1971.
Women’s Equality Day doesn’t merely exist to celebrate a major milestone in women’s rights. It also serves to shine a light on the various forms of gender discrimination that women may still experience, such as lack of equal treatment in the workplace.
Equality In the Workplace
There are various ways employers can guard against workplace gender discrimination. Examples include (but certainly aren’t limited to) the following:
- Offering equal pay for equal work responsibilities, regardless of gender
- Offering reasonable maternity and paternity leave
- Not accounting for gender identity when making hiring decisions
- Not accounting for gender identity when promoting employees
Those are the basics. Employers may also take additional steps, such as organizing company programs to identify and address subtle forms of gender discrimination that may go overlooked.
What To Do If You Experienced Gender Discrimination At Work
The fact that both federal law and numerous state laws prohibit gender discrimination in the workplace doesn’t mean it never happens. If you believe you’ve been the victim of gender discrimination at work, take the following steps:
- Keep a log: Keep a running log of your experiences by writing down a description of all instances in which you believe you may have been the victim of discrimination. In each entry, describe the nature of the experience, when it happened, where it happened, and who may have been involved. Make a note of any witnesses who can verify the experience as well.
- Gather evidence: You may have hard evidence of gender discrimination in the form of emails, chat logs, etc. Save these.
- Report the matter to HR: While it’s possible HR won’t resolve the matter properly, showing that you filed an official report can strengthen your case.
Your next move may be to file a claim with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or a relevant state agency. Typically, they will investigate the matter. If the agency finds gender discrimination has occurred, they may file a lawsuit on your behalf or officially notify you of your right to take legal action.
Get Help With Your Discrimination Claim
Determining whether you’ve been the victim of gender discrimination can be challenging if you’re unfamiliar with the applicable laws. Proving you’ve been a victim may be even more challenging.
A lawyer with experience representing clients like yourself could potentially improve your chances of winning a case against a current or former employer. To learn more about what a gender discrimination attorney may do for you, take the Free Case Evaluation on this page today. We’ll connect you with a lawyer who can help you.
