When people envision gender discrimination at work, they often imagine something obvious that without a doubt occurred. However, many people are actually unsure if what they encountered was in fact workplace discrimination. The red flags for discrimination may not always be immediately apparent, as they can be subtle too. As a employment discrimination lawyer families trust at Disparti Law Group explains, here are warning signs to watch out for that may mean you will have to stand up for your rights as an employee in the near future.
There are biased dress codes and expectations.
In the employee handbook, there may be rules about dress codes and appearance expectations. Employers may exhibit an opinion that the natural look of people with certain backgrounds is less professional compared to the look of others. Does your employer have a handbook with rules for how one gender should dress, but there are much less rules for the other? This can be a subtle form of employment gender discrimination, as one gender is expected to meet a more detailed or unrealistic standard of appearance.
The culture includes mostly employees of one gender.
If most or the entirety of a management team is of the same gender, it can be a less obvious sign that gender discrimination is happening. This kind of situation can turn into a hostile workplace between members of different genders. The team may start to partake in activities that are gender skewed towards benefiting women or men predominantly, particularly in networking and social gatherings. A work culture that favors one gender over another can make it more challenging for the biased-against gender to advance within the company.
Other employees share your observations.
Have you shared your concerns about gender bias with coworkers? Do they agree with your observations? If so, it can point to a systemic issue. If you are the only employee at the company who is displeased with the culture, it doesn’t mean that your concerns are not warranted. It may be worth speaking with a legal team to find out if there is sufficient evidence to take action for gender workplace discrimination. If there are coworkers who support your claims and have experienced them as well, then it can benefit your claim to have them serve as witnesses in your case.
Workplace discrimination can be tricky to uncover, especially when the signs are subtle. Workers who are confused about what they are witnessing can rely on a legal team for insight and advice on how to proceed forward. If there are grounds for a claim, your lawyer can protect your best interest as you hold the offending company responsible for committing workplace gender discrimination. Too many employees don’t take action when there is every reason to do so, and then the company continues to create an unlawful work environment that affects people’s lives. If you are worried that your workplace is violating the law by committing gender discrimination, you may want to contact a legal team now for further assistance.
