Issues women face in the workplace

From getting paid less than their male coworkers to being sexually harassed, women face many challenges. Here are just two of the many issues women may face and what you can do if you experience workplace discrimination.

Women face a harsher punishment

According to a study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, female advisers were 20% more likely to lose their job following an incident of misconduct. Additionally, they were 30% less likely to find a new job after being let go, compared to male financial advisers. These statistics show the strikingly unfair treatment of women.

The study found that Wells Fargo was especially unfair in their treatment of men versus women. Approximately 41% of male Wells Fargo advisers either resigned or were fired after an allegation of misconduct, compared to 69% of women. Wells Fargo had a higher gender gap in the termination or resignation of financial advisers than any other of the 44 financial advising firms studied.

Women receive lower pay

Although more women than men have college degrees, on average women earn much less money. In a study conducted by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, a full-time female employee only makes 80.5 cents for every dollar made by male workers, creating a 20% wage gap. This wage gap is evidence of workplace discrimination.

What should you do?

If you are being unfairly treated in your place of employment, you should speak with your employer. If you tell your employer that you feel you are being discriminated against and let them know that you are taking the matter seriously, they may be more inclined to make a change.

If your employer does not make the discrimination stop, you may want to document the incidents and report them to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Your employer must comply with legal standards, but you alone are responsible for defending your rights.

Finally, if the discrimination persists or if the discrimination leads to termination, you may choose to hire legal representation. An Employment Law attorney will be able to answer questions and guide you through the legal process.