Steps To Take After You Experience Gender Discrimination At Work

Unfortunately, gender discrimination in the workplace is a significant issue across the country. If you believe you are being discriminated against at your job based solely on your sex, you need to take action right away, as you have rights afforded to you that protect you from this behavior. The following are some things you need to do as soon as you begin to notice a pattern of gender discrimination in your workplace:

Document Your Evidence

Before you do anything else, you need to collect evidence to support your claim of gender discrimination. Keep a logbook of any accounts of discrimination you experience. In your logbook, include the time of day, the date, the circumstances of the incident, the names of those involved, names of anyone who may have witnessed it, and the location. You should also briefly describe what happened.

If there is any physical evidence of your discrimination, such as voicemails, texts, emails, photographs, notes left to you, and the like, you should also keep it to use as a form of evidence.

Discuss Your Concerns with Your Boss

One of the major issues with gender discrimination is the fact that many incidents are not punished because victims are afraid to report them. For that reason, the first thing you need to do is report the discrimination to your direct supervisor, manager, or superior. Your employer is required by law to provide you with protection from any form of discrimination in the workplace; however, your boss cannot help you if you fail to say anything.

When you inform your employer of your experience with gender discrimination, provide a copy of your evidence of the discrimination you have experienced. Request that your employer look into the claims and take necessary action based on their findings.

An issue you may have in your case is the fact that your boss is the one who is perpetrating discrimination. If this occurs, you need to go above the chain of command and report your claim to their direct superior.

Call the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

If you believe that your claims are not being taken seriously by your employer, your next step is to contact the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The EEOC ensures that all anti-discrimination laws are followed. Once you contact the EEOC, the agency can call your employer to investigate your claims. This will typically halt any further issues, as the EEOC can legally penalize a company for not following the law.

If you still experience gender discrimination after taking these steps, it is time to contact an attorney to discuss legal action. Your local gender discrimination law services can offer more information.