Just like race and religious discrimination, it is unlawful for an employer to discriminate based on an employee’s or job applicant’s gender. Sex discrimination occurs on a much less frequent basis than it did a few decades ago, but it is still widely prevalent across the country and the state. Missouri is the 17th highest state when ranked for workplace discrimination, and sex discrimination is the most common type of discrimination in the state, according to Bloomberg. While most employers deny that they engage in workplace discrimination, the numbers do not lie: Full time working white women make just 79 cents for every dollar that full time working white men make, according to Huffington Post. Sex discrimination does not only occur in the realm of wages, but affects hiring, firing, promotions, and how women are treated by their employers and coworkers. If you have been discriminated against at your place of work, whether you are full or part time, working for minimum wage or a high salary, the HKM Employment Attorneys are here to help.
How Sex Discrimination Affects Women in the Workplace
Discrimination damages women’s’ chances for financial stability, harms self esteem and self worth, and causes depression, anxiety, and social withdrawal, among many other negative emotions and feelings. Our country and state have both come a long way since the 1950s, yet many male employers still feel that it is their right to treat women as their inferiors. While discrimination based on an employee’s gender is in violation of the Missouri Human Rights Act, it occurs on a regular basis in many Missouri businesses and places of employment. For example, all of the following are sex based discrimination when an employer takes one of these actions against someone because of their gender:
- Refusal to hire even when employee is qualified;
- Denial of equal pay;
- Refusal of benefits or promotions that have been earned;
- Only allowing certain positions to be filled by one gender, such as managerial positions;
- Termination of employment or demotions;
- Firing pregnant women or not allowing them to use disability pay;
- Adhering to sex-based stereotypes, such as criticizing an employee’s femininity or deciding that a female employee should always be the one taking notes during office meetings;
- Harassment.
Sex Discrimination and Harassment
Sexual harassment (which is a felony) and sex-based harassment are two common types of discrimination that go on in many places of work that seldom get reported for fear of retaliation from the employer. Harassment includes using offensive language, non-consensual touching or kissing, groping or grabbing, intimidation, physical assault, exclusion, or belittling. Depending on the type of harassment you have experienced, your employer may also face jail or prison time, and law enforcement needs to be notified if you believe that you have been assaulted in any way.
Call a St. Louis, Missouri Sex Discrimination Attorney for Help Today
Women and men, as well as those who identify with a different sex than that which with they were born, have the right to be treated fairly, and compensated fairly, for the work they do, and to work in a hostility-free environment. If you have been the victim of sex discrimination, call the St. Louis law offices of HKM Employment Attorneys LLP today.
