What women can do about workplace rights violations

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), August, 1996

Women still are battling employers over equal pay for equal work, despite mandates of recent decades, according to Victoria L. Rayner, author of The Survival Guide for Today's Career Woman. "As women strive to achieve equality in the workplace, the wages that measure their progress move slowly. It is a well-documented fact that there is still a gap between men's and women's earnings and this is only one area where women's rights are being jeopardized."

She believes that women's rights in the workplace continue to be violated in five key areas, even though Federal, state, and local legislation has been enacted in recent years:

Pay discrimination. "Women with equal or better education earn less than men and there are proportionately fewer women in top management positions. If you suspect that you are not receiving equal pay for equal work, you may file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which enforces the Equal Pay Act."

Glass ceilings. "Advancement in the workplace is oftentimes hindered by artificial barriers -- glass ceilings. While progress has been made in the workplace by women, the commitment and actions that lead to this progress must be maintained and enhanced. Women must take personal responsibility for their own career progress. But if they feel they have been unfairly overlooked when promotion opportunities have occurred, they should contact the EEOC."

Pregnancy and family leave. "Neither American society nor American business has acknowledged the growing segment of the population of women of childbearing age entering the labor force in recent years. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 specifically prohibits discrimination because of pregnancy; employers can not refuse to employ a woman in this condition. Also, state maternity and parental leave laws provide for a specific number of weeks that a parent may take off for the birth or the adoption of a child. Contact your state department of labor or human and civil rights agencies if you experience a problem."

Sexual harassment on the job. "It is considered sexual harassment for a supervisor t encourage or to force an employee into a sexual relationship and, on the basis of that relationship, compensate the employee with a promotion. It is also sexual harassment for a supervisor to discipline or to deny a promotion to an employee because he or she has rejected sexual overtures. Sexual harassment is also considered to be anything that creates and adverse or disagreeable working environment for members of one gender. If you believe you are a victim of sexual harassment, take care to document incidents to support your claim and contact the EEOC."

Performance reviews. "Almost all organizations now make use of some type of ratings form as a legal safety net to protect them from wrongful termination claims. They are usually written, detailed reports that examine and assess an employee's progress, accomplishments, and failings. Prepare to present your boss with a written and oral enumeration of your skills and professional accomplishments during this review period. If you feel your review and subsequent action is unfair, ask for another meeting with your boss to discuss your performance evaluation. If this fails and you feel that your rights to continued employment or a promotion have been unfairly violated, contact the EEOC."