What qualifies as gender discrimination?
Gender discrimination, or sex discrimination, “involves treating someone [such as] an applicant or employee unfavorably because of that person’s sex” [Source: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)]. Although it is illegal for employers to engage in any type of behavior that could be categorized as gender discrimination as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits this, there are some that do. If you think you are a victim of gender discrimination and you work in Houston, TX, you should meet with an attorney who can clarify if what you went through was, in fact, a violation of your civil rights.
Examples of Gender Discrimination in the Workplace
- The “law forbids discrimination when it comes to any aspect of employment.” This includes:
- Hiring
- Firing
- Pay
- Job assignments
- Promotions
- Layoff
- Training
- Fringe benefits
- Any other term or condition of employment.
For example, an employer cannot pay a female worker less than their male counterpart simply because she is a woman nor can they refuse to hire someone because of their gender. In the event they do, they put themselves and their company at risk of being sued. In fact, a Google employee recently filed a lawsuit against the company alleging that she was “paid less and denied a promotion because she’s a woman” and “then was demoted for complaining.”
According to Mercury News, Ulku Rowe had been hired by Google at a Level 8 position after working for JPMorgan. Rowe, given her experience, questioned her Level 8 status as she was “concerned that it would affect her long-term compensation.” She was told that “everyone hired into a technical director position started at Level 8, but she later learned that there had been male counterparts, some with less experience in the industry than her, who were hired as technical directors as well but at a Level 9. While one level might not seem like such a big deal to those looking in on the situation from the outside, it was as a Level 9 “pays hundreds of thousands of dollars more in total annual compensation than a Level 8.”
After Rowe did some digging, she found out that there were several males hired at a Level 9, even one that didn’t have a background in engineering which meant he “did not satisfy the requirement that candidates must have an MS in Computer Engineering.” Based on the evidence Rowe uncovered, she decided to file a gender discrimination lawsuit against Google.
- An employer who harasses a person because of their gender. The EEOC says that harassment can include:
- Sexual harassment, or unwelcome sexual advances. If your employer has touched you inappropriately or has tried to come onto you while in or outside of the workplace setting, you should consider discussing this with a Houston, TX sexual harassment lawyer.
- Requests for sexual favors.
- Verbal or physical harassment that is sexual in nature.
- Offensive remarks about a person’s sex.
- “An employment policy or practice that applies to everyone” that “has a negative impact on the employment of people of a certain sex and is not job-related or necessary to the operation of the business.”
Can I sue my employer for gender discrimination?
If you can prove that your employer discriminated against you because of your gender, you then have a basis for filing a lawsuit. Now, this can sometimes be hard to do so it would be a good idea to contact Moore & Associates and let one of their gender discrimination attorneys in Houston, TX help you. The team of sexual harassment attorneys at this employment law firm offer a wide array of legal experience, including handling cases that stem from gender discrimination complaints. To speak with a lawyer now regarding the issue you are experiencing, call 713-222-6775.
Moore & Associates can be reached at:
440 Louisiana Street, Suite 675
Houston, TX 77002
Phone: 713-222-6775
Website: www.mooreandassociates.net
