Sex discrimination refers to the unequal treatment of workers on the basis of their sex. It is widely known that women often have to endure unequal pay for doing the same level of work as their male counterparts. However, what isn’t widely known is that women who endure this kind of unequal treatment may be able to pursue a discrimination lawsuit.
Discrimination on the basis of an employee’s sex is prohibited by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This civil rights law protects women and men from any unequal and unfair action against them on the job. For example, an employer cannot pass up a female job applicant in favor of a male applicant on the basis of sex alone. The same goes for the issuance of raises and other employment benefits.
Here are two things that Title VII prohibits in terms of sex discrimination. Employers cannot:
- Refuse to hire or choose to fire someone, or discriminate against him or her in any way, on the basis of sex. This applies to employment terms, compensation, employment privileges and other factors.
- Segregate, limit or classify job applicants or employees for specific jobs on the basis of sex.
- Retaliate against employees who oppose or complain about discriminatory practices on the part of the employer.
Victims of sex discrimination are sometimes unaware that they are being treated unequally. However, if you stay alert to potential issues that can develop — such as always staying in the same level position while other employees appear to rise up in the ranks or never receiving a raise — you might have a better chance of catching sex discrimination when it happens, and taking action to put a stop to it immediately.
Source: FindLaw, “Sex – Gender Discrimination: Overview,” accessed Jan. 05, 2018
