Tech giant Oracle is facing legal action based on claims it has systematically paid women less than men for comparable jobs. The suit claims that the company knew, or should have known, that this discriminatory practice was rampant and that thousands of women have been unfairly under compensated over a period of years. If your employer is engaging in similar practices, the experienced attorneys at HKM may be able to help.
What is Gender Discrimination?
Often referenced as sex-based discrimination or sexual discrimination, gender discrimination is a serious violation of civil rights that is illegal if it impacts employment agreements or conditions. Unfortunately, gender equality has a long way to go in the United States. This country is ranked 45th in the world in providing gender equality by the World Economic Forum, based on the earnings gap and other factors. Three key federal statutes address the issue:
- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964;
- The Equal Pay Act of 1963;
- The Civil Rights Act of 1991.
Gender discrimination may bear its ugly head in any of a number of ways:
- Limiting the advancement opportunities for women to keep them out of key senior positions;
- Assigning job titles with less status to women who performs essentially the same duties as men with more prestigious titles;
- Providing lower pay for women who have the same responsibilities and duties as men;
- Putting women on a slower pace to advance or receive raises than their male counterparts;
- Providing inferior vacation time, compensatory time, and/or sick leave to women;
- Out and out denying job opportunities to qualified women.
Gender Discrimination Cases in the News
In addition to Oracle, a number of other well-known companies are being hit with gender discrimination lawsuits:
- Google is being sued based on the claim that females face lower pay and fewer prospects for advancement than equally qualified men;
- Fox News faces another lawsuit, this time because a female news correspondent claims she was sidelined by having to work as an assistant to a less experienced male employee and by being assigned “humiliating” stories to cover, as well as the least desirable sifts;
- State Street Corporation, the company that commissioned the famed Fearless Girl statue that faces down the bull in New York City, has agreed to pay our $5 million on claims to over 300 female employees who were paid less than their male colleagues.
Fight Back
The fact of the matter is, women are frequently marginalized in the working world, and that is against the law in this country. California law allows employees to inquire as to how their wages compare to colleagues in similar positions. It is a strong step toward providing equivalent pay for women and other classes of people who experience discrimination in the workplace.
If you are the victim of gender discrimination, you do not have to take it any more. The experienced and aggressive team at HKM will advocate for you. Contact us today for a free, confidential consultation.
