How to Identify Workplace Discrimination Against Women

Discrimination against observant Jewish women has always been a problem in the Jewish world. In the Middle Ages, Rabbinical leaders would urge communities to shun women who would peddle their wares at the homes of non-Jews in an attempt to protect the home, but ultimately the process led to eliminating a woman’s ability to provide for her family and forced her to rely upon her husband support. 

The many methods of gender discrimination in the workplace are so varied, it is often difficult to identify whether or not you have been a victim.

Identifying Gender Discrimination

Lower Pay

The most common form of gender discrimination in the workplace is being paid a lower wage or denied access to benefits that male co-workers receive. This includes lower bonuses at the end of the year. 

This form of discrimination is difficult to identify because the workplace often keeps wages private so that they can pay certain employees more (or less) than others. 

How to combat it

Know the average salary for your career in relation to your education and experience. Websites like www.salary.com are available to help you calculate the average salary for specific positions, but trade organizations are often the best source of information because they offer nuanced details that are career specific.

Pro Tip: joining a trade organization looks great on your resume and often provides a level of protection – you have other professionals in your career that can support you.

Women-Only Jobs

A large number of employers in the Orthodox world will only consider hiring women for office support positions, like secretaries or assistants. Another form of this common problem is only hiring women for low-level education jobs until their children are fully grown. This is a form of gender discrimination that could easily get employers in trouble with the law. Unfortunately, it is difficult to prove and generally requires a man who is applying for the position to challenge the organization and raise the issue. 

How to combat it

If you have the experience and education that qualify you for a higher position and you are denied that position you have two options:

1. Challenge the employer to explain their reasons for not promoting or hiring you for that position in writing. The threat of having something written down will often change the direction of the negotiation.

2. Leave the employer and seek employment elsewhere.

Both options will require negotiation and a determination not to accept anything less than the position you want.

Being Evaluated Too Harshly or Held To Different Standards

Women are often criticized for being too aggressive, despite behaving in the same manner as men in the same situation. Being asked to apologize for yelling when male employees are never held to the same requirement is a common manifestation.

Being required to dress or present yourself in a specific way. Dress codes that require certain types of items (e.g. wigs or particular hair coverings, skirts of a certain length, makeup, etc.) are sexist and often illegal. It is acceptable for businesses to qualify the atmosphere (for example: business casual), but not dictate the exact items to be worn for employment without instituting a uniform that must be worn by every member of their workforce.

How to combat it

Record as much as you can in writing. It’s also a good idea to keep a journal. Once a pattern of behavior can be proven, request a meeting with your supervisor and/or HR to discuss. The more specific examples you can provide that show how treatment of others differs from your experience, the better. Expect an uncomfortable conversation.

If you have spoken to your supervisor about your experience and they have not changed their behavior, you will need to consider switching employers. 

Denied A Promotion or Pay Raise

It is very difficult to prove whether you have been denied a promotion or pay raise. The easiest means to identify this is to consider the historical data of the employer’s record on promotions. If only men have been promoted in the past decade, it is likely they are discriminating against women for management roles.

Since employers make a point of keeping salaries private – often denying the right of employees to discuss how much they make in employment contracts – it is rarely possible to prove a pay raise discrimination without having the court force the employer to furnish employment data.

How to combat it

Raises and promotions are subjective and the burden of proof falls upon the woman who wants to challenge the decision. By being thorough and gathering as much data as possible to support your case, it is possible that you could convince your employer to have a change of heart.

Unfortunately, this is rare and it is more usual that you will be shut down prior to presenting your full case. At this point, you can either file a discrimination case against the employer in the court system, or you can look for a new job.

Pregnancy Pushout

Being fired or laid off when you become pregnant, being asked if you will get pregnant, or being forced to take leave because you are pregnant are illegal in the United States, United