DISCRIMINATION IN THE WORKPLACE

Discrimination in the Workplace Women Versus Men for Equal Pay

Discrimination in the Workplace Women Versus Men for Equal Pay

Women and men are different biologically; all cultures interpret these biological differences into a set of social expressions that outline which behaviours and activities are appropriate. Like race, ethnicity, and class, gender is a social category that largely establishes one's opportunities in life and further shapes one's participation in society and in the economy. Although expectations may vary in each culture, nearly every society gives the primary responsibility for the care of infants and children to women, and moneymaking to men. More often than not, these social norms can cause gender stereotypes, resulting in discrimination. Although equality among the sexes has come a long way in the United States, both in society and in the professional world, one can reluctantly concede that some things may never change, despite efforts to fix this imbalance. The purpose of this paper is, not to argue against these biases, but to portray the stereotypes that have been placed on women in the workplace, the effects of these inequalities, as well as a probable solution.

Stereotypes have been known to cause inequality within the workplace. Despite recent increases in women's educational attainment, women continue to earn less than men in the labour market - even when they hold the same degree and work experience. For years, women have been discriminated against when it comes to obtaining a position and a salary equal to men. Sexist employers may argue that the reason women may receive a lower salary or a lesser position is because, according to social norms, they are more dedicated to their family than their career. This stereotype tends to be a preventive measure among employers; in most cases, women do not even get the chance to prove this assumption wrong. While it may be a mother's maternal nature to be concerned with her family, it does not mean all family matters come before her career. Innately, women tend to have a more social nature than men; they are likely to be better listeners, more attentive, and have an easier time communicating with others. While these characteristics can be qualities of a successful businesswoman, a sexist employer might only view these traits as characteristics of a "homemaker."

Another concern among employers, when hiring a woman, is the potential need for a maternity leave; when it comes to childbirth, women typically take at least six weeks time out of the office. This worries employers because, over that time, there is the possibility of losing a client or customer. Customers might fear that their business will be less attended to or even have reservations that the woman may end up remaining at home. Longer absences may require new staging arrangements or additional hires. In technology-driven fields, such as systems analysis, an employee on maternity leave may find her knowledge obsolete or dated by the time she is ready to come back to ...