5 hidden
signs of sex discrimination in the workplace
Female workers could be suffering
sex discrimination without even realising it, according to solicitors’ firm
Miller Hendry. And with gender bias and women’s rights hitting the news
headlines, the Tayside firm is advising both employees and bosses to be
vigilant.
Discrimination against pregnant
and non-pregnant women isn’t always obvious, either to workers or bosses, said
Miller Hendry, which warned employees and bosses to look out for “more
insidious forms” of gender bias.
The advice follows the recent launch
of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s policy on equal rights for women, in which he
sparked controversy by claiming that after-work drinks policies discriminate against
mothers. Two days later, Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon went public
on a miscarriage she had five years ago in order to “challenge assumptions and
judgments” surrounding women who don’t have children.
Also last week, the Women and
Equalities Committee called for “urgent action” to give more protection to
pregnant women and new mothers after what MPs called a “shocking” increase in
cases of discrimination against pregnant women. The Committee found that the
number of expectant and new mothers forced to leave their jobs has almost
doubled since 2005, to 54,000.
Calls for tighter UK regulations
surrounding dismissal or redundancy of pregnant women were welcomed by Miller
Hendry. But the firm warned that gender bias in the workplace can be subtler
than people think.
Alan Matthew, partner and employment law expert at Miller Hendry, said:
“One tends to think of obvious
examples when it comes to gender discrimination in the workplace, such as overt
sexual harassment or unequal pay. But the fact is that there are more insidious
forms of discrimination, brought about from years of social stereotyping, and
both employees and employers need to be aware of them. These can fly under the
radar of prescribed employment policy, which makes them more difficult to catch
and for that reason sometimes more harmful.”
5
hidden signs of gender bias in the workplace:
1. ‘Sorry, we didn’t think you’d want to.’ The
mostly male department plans a go-kart outing followed by some beers in the pub
but doesn’t invite the only female employee.
2. ‘Don’t try lifting that, love.’
The female employee this is directed at isn’t pregnant. She also lifts weights
every day at the gym. Too bad because the males can’t get past the fact that
she’s a woman.
3. ‘You’d better not have a baby. I’m
writing it into your contract!’ A female boss jokes with her female employee
but the implication is clear: pregnancy and having children won’t be supported.
Comments like ‘Can you afford it?’, ‘Say goodbye to promotion then’ and ‘Your
partner earns enough money you wouldn’t have to work’ send similarly negative
messages.
4. ‘You come across as brusque/aggressive/uncaring.’
A female employee is seen as violating her prescribed ‘gender norm’ of being
compassionate, caring and passive. She is called out for acting in the same way
her male co-worker does.
5. ‘We like having our meetings then.’
Staff meetings are consistently scheduled for 8.45am, bang in the middle of
school drop-off time.
For further advice or information on employment law
visit www.millerhendrysolicitors.co.uk