TITLE PAGE

“Gender Discrimination in the Workplace”

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 TITLE FLY

Assignment PREPARED BY:

MARUF AHMED

2012010000213

Sec:H

Batch:30th

BBA

Southeast University

PREPARED FOR:

Shafiqul Alam

LECTURER

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS STUDIES

SOUTHEAST UNIVERSITY

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 Letter of Transmittal
Dated: 25/08/2013

Shafiqul Alam
Lecturer

School of Business Studies

Southeast University

Banani Dhaka. 1212.

Subject: Letter of Transmittal

Dear Sir,

This is Maruf Ahmed, Batch 30(H), and ID: 2012010000213of BBA Department
wants to state that, here is the report on Gender Discrimination in the
Workplace. You have asked us to prepare this report as a course requirement.
However, I have completed as per your instruction with all necessary, updated and
with valid information.

I, therefore hope that you would be kind enough to grant this report despite of
having some lickings behind.

Sincerely Yours

Maruf Ahmed

--------------------------------

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 Letter of Authorization

Dated: 25/08/2013

To the student of BBA

Batch: 30(H)

Southeast University

Subject: Authorization for preparing of assignment on Gender Discrimination in

the Workplace.

Dear Students

As per the course requirements, you are the student of Batch: 30(H) holding id
2012010000213 of BBA department are requested to prepare a report on Gender
Discrimination in the Workplace. This contains in specific subject. In this case,
you are said to follow appropriate guidelines of report writing with all valid and
updated information on the following topic.

Best regards

Shafiqul Alam

-------------------------------------
Lecturer

School of Business Studies

Southeast University

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 Acknowledgement

Beginning with all of my reverence to Almighty, who enables me to

prepare the report. Any comprehensive works such as Gender
Discrimination in the Workplace must owe credit to a multitude of
people. First of all I would like to express gratitude to my honorable
course instructor Shafiqul Alam for her guidelines, kind patience and
support for preparation of this report. I will always be indebted to her
for the valuable suggestion and the time that she had spent on guiding
me.

I would also like to thank many people who help me to compiled my

report specially the Director of maruf textile for their support and giving
me some valuable information about this topic.

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 TABLE OF CONTENT

Title name Page no

Introduction 7-8
Types of Gender Discrimination 9-10
Examples of Discrimination in the Workplace 11-12
Some causes of gender discrimination 13

14-16
The Effects of Gender Discrimination in the
Workplace

How to reduce gender discrimination in the 17-19

workplace

Summary 20

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 Introduction

Gander Discrimination :
Gender discrimination is discrimination against a person or group on the grounds of sex or gender
identity.
Socially, sexual differences have been used to justify societies in which one sex or the other has been
restricted to significantly inferior and secondary roles. While there are non-physical differences between
men and women (gender is learned not genetics), unfair discrimination usually follows the gender
stereotyping held by a society and is used to enforce the roles held by that society as acceptable.

Gender discrimination is explained as the negative treatment inflicted to a person based on that person’s
sex. In addition, the mistreatment of a person due to his or her connection with an organization or group
that is known to have an affiliation with individuals of a specific sex can also be categorized as gender
discrimination (USA, Gov, 2011).
Unfortunately gender discrimination is constant making women- one of the protected groups-the usual
victims of such terrible actions. Although all women –childless and with children -are commonly in
disadvantage in compensation and career advancement; there still exist many other forms of gender
discrimination which damages are worst than those produced for the above mentioned stereotypes
(Fishel, 2010).
Women form the majority of the world’s poorest people and the number of women living in rural
poverty has increased by 50% since 1975. Women work two-thirds of the world’s working hours and
produce half of the world’s food, yet they earn only 10% of the world’s income and own less than 1% of
the world’s property.

What is Gender Discrimination in the Workplace?

Most countries allow for equal opportunities for men and women through the federal
laws. For example, the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VII, prohibits employers
from discriminating against job seekers. It also protects discrimination against
employees on the basis of race, religion, sex, pregnancy and nationality. However,
recent study by US Bureau of Labor shows that women working 41 to 44 hours a week

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earn 84.6% of what their male counterparts do. The statistics become more dismal with
increase in hours of work. Women who work more than 60 hours a week were found to
earn only about 78.3% of what men in the same category earned.

Outright refusal of employment on basis of gender is just one of the most blatant forms
of exploitation of the right of each individual to work. However the scenario is more
complex than this. Many times women are refused benefits - monetary or otherwise,
and other privileges that their male counterparts receive as part of the employment
policies. Overlooking their performance while considering employees for promotion is
another type of employment discrimination that is based on gender. This is often done
on the ridiculous assumption that women are not capable of handling stressful situations
and tend to be emotionally influenced when it comes to taking decisions as high ranking
personnel in the corporate sector.

Even while hiring, many firms prefer men to women employees though most often they
don't divulge this attitude when they advertise for the job opening (as that is illegal too).
This is mainly done of the pretext that the health care requirements and social
responsibilities of a woman are different from that of a man and this is often viewed as a
hurdle against her performance at workplace. However, federal laws do not allow for
such kind of employment discrimination. For example, if an employer refuses to hire a
woman with children who she has to care for, but recruits a man with small children at
the same position then this tantamounts to gender discrimination at workplace
accountable to federal laws. What fuels such sentiments is the fact that a woman's role
in the society has always been as that of the caregiver in the family and a working
woman does not get any leeward in this responsibility.

Gender stereotypes in the society has trickled down to gender roles in the workplace as
well. It is true that women have been found to have better verbal skills than men
whereas research shows that men have better visual-spatial abilities. However, such
gender related trends should not be used in deciding eligibility of an applicant for a
particular job. However, sadly enough, this is being done in workplace, specially in the
corporate sector.

Other than these common forms, sexual harassment has also been covered within the
gamut of gender discrimination at work. Title VII's provisions prohibit employers or
colleagues to ask any co-workers of sexual favors or creating environment on the
workplace that would be hostile for individuals of either gender. For example if the
company even puts up calendar that has sexually offensive content, then it would
violate the act against the discrimination.

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 Types of Gender Discrimination

There are several ways in which gender discrimination takes place at work,
here's looking into four such instances.

⚖ Direct Discrimination
Some workplaces have a gender preference, mostly out of one being
dominant over the other like say a woman not earning as much as a man
even though they both hold similar positions in the company and carry
equally commendable qualifications. Sometimes bonuses are higher for
men than women and there is an air of indifference towards either sex
depending on the gender that is in charge.

⚖ Indirect Discrimination
Instances where people are indirectly discriminated against include
examples where a certain set of rules or laws are made which indirectly
imply that people of a certain gender cannot qualify for certain company
offerings.

⚖ Harassment at Work
This type of discrimination is perhaps the worst of the lot since it not only
discriminates but causes emotional as well as psychological trauma to the
employee who is the subject of such acts. Sexual or verbal harassment or
inferior treatment owing to his / her gender is included under this category.
Men and women who are gay are put in the spotlight for who they are,
where they can face harsh treatment because of their sexual preferences.

⚖ Victimization
Unfair or biased treatment based on the employee's gender translates into
victimization at work. This is also a form of employee discrimination based

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on gender. Some people take it too far by disrupting their personal life as
well or setting them up for trouble at the workplace.

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Examples of Discrimination in the
Workplace

Equal Pay/Compensation Discrimination

The Equal Pay Act requires that men and women in the same workplace be given
equal pay for equal work. The jobs need not be identical, but they must be
substantially equal. Job content (not job titles) determines whether jobs are
substantially equal. All forms of pay are covered by this law, including salary,
overtime pay, bonuses, stock options, profit sharing and bonus plans, life insurance,
vacation and holiday pay, cleaning or gasoline allowances, hotel accommodations,
reimbursement for travel expenses, and benefits. If there is an inequality in wages
between men and women, employers may not reduce the wages of either sex to
equalize their pay.

An individual alleging a violation of the EPA may go directly to court and is not
required to file an EEOC charge beforehand. The time limit for filing an EPA charge
with the EEOC and the time limit for going to court are the same: within two years of
the alleged unlawful compensation practice or, in the case of a willful violation,
within three years. The filing of an EEOC charge under the EPA does not extend the
time frame for going to court.

Age Discrimination

Age discrimination occurs when an employee receives

unfavorable treatment due to his age. Such a person could be the
target of offensive remarks about his age. It also arises when the
workplace’s policies or practices impact negatively on employees
age 40 years and older. The Age Discrimination in Employment

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Act, or ADEA, however, does not protect applicants or employees
who are younger than 40.

Religious Discrimination

Religious discrimination is the unequal treatment of employees

based on their religious beliefs. This form of unfavorable
treatment manifests itself through unwarranted dismissals,
harassment, segregation or unequal pay. As part of religious
discrimination, the victim does not get the chance to actualize his
religious beliefs in the workplace, due to lack of a flexible work
schedule, job reassignments or voluntary shift substitutions. This
is contrary to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which
prohibits workplace discrimination on grounds of a person’s sex,
color, religion, race or origin.

Sex Discrimination

Sex discrimination arises from unwarranted treatment of a person

due to her sex. Examples of sex discrimination in the workplace
include seeking sexual favors, unwanted sexual advances and
physical harassment of a sexual nature. Sexual discrimination is
also evident when an employee earns more money than an
employee of the opposite sex, despite possessing the same
expertise. The Census Bureau reported that the average salary for
women was 77 percent that of men in 2011. Employment policies
or practices can also be sexually discriminative, when they
negatively affect employees of a certain gender.
Racial Discrimination
An employee who receives unfavorable treatment because of his
race is a victim of racial discrimination. It also occurs when
certain employees experience unequal treatment due to their

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possession of specific characteristics associated with certain
races. Employees who are married to certain races may also
witness racial discrimination based on these marital ties. This is
the same case for people who belong to certain race-based
groups. Racial discrimination in the workplace rears its head
through derogatory statements, unfair policies, dismissals and
conditions of employment.

Some causes of gender discrimination

The causes vary widely and include:

 Religious traditions and sacred texts. It seems that especially the

Muslim religion contains many discriminatory injunctions, which
moreover are often interpreted very literally.
 Custom and culture. Culture shapes the way “things are done”
and the thinking of people who believe that things should be done in
a certain way. In many cultures we still witness male misogyny and
machismo.

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 Education and upbringing. Mothers (but also fathers) often
perpetuate involuntarily the inferior social position of their
daughters by raising them according to traditional gender roles.
 Law. The law often reinforces other causes of discrimination.

The Effects of Gender Discrimination in the Workplace

Lost Productivity:

Victims of gender discrimination lose motivation and morale necessary

to perform their jobs effectively. According to a report written by Jodi L.
Jacobson of the WorldWatch Institute, gender bias also leads to a loss in
productivity. Things that may lead to this loss of morale and motivation

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could include jokes about an employee’s gender that imply inferiority,
offensive jokes of a suggestive or sexual nature and jokes implying that
an employee’s work is sub-par due to his or her gender. Federal law
prohibits this type of workplace harassment, whether by superiors or
coworkers.

Promotions:

Stereotypical views regarding gender can cause supervisors to engage in

the illegal practice of passing a person over for promotion due to gender.
While this can happen to both genders, supervisors most often pass over
women for promotion due to preconceived notions about their roles and
abilities. For example, a fire chief may repeatedly pass over a female fire
fighter for promotion, due to resentment stemming from women
applying to the force or due to a belief that men inherently perform
better in these positions. Supervisors may pass over qualified males for
promotions in industries that employ a high percentage of women
compared to men, such as teaching positions or those industries
involving care of children.

Family Responsibilities:

Women who have young children at home may experience push-back

when interviewing due to family responsibilities. Although law prohibits
a prospective employer from asking about family responsibility outright,
it often comes out during the interview process anyway. This may
provoke the hiring manager to pass over a qualified female candidate if
he feels she will be torn between her home and job responsibilities. If
the woman makes it into the position, her supervisor can view her
employee file to see that she has young children signed up on insurance

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or other benefits. He then may choose to give her less responsibility or
assign menial tasks to her that do not fit her job description. Although
illegal, this practice still exists in offices today.

Gender Discrimination -- It Happens To Men, Too

In a twist, Ventura Corporation, a wholesaler of beauty products, was sued by the EEOC for
discriminating against men -- the company refused to hire men as sales reps. Talk show host
Jimmy Fallon and his network, NBC, was also sued for discriminatory practices against men.

Even the federal government is not perfect when it comes to discrimination against men. In April
2012, ABC news reported that "a male employee of the Federal Bureau of Investigation is suing
the agency for gender discrimination, claiming that a physical fitness test to become an FBI
agent is biased against men."

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17
 How to reduce gender
discrimination in the workplace

The EEOC reported nearly 100,000 job bias charges in the fiscal year of
2012, with retaliation, race, and sex discrimination, including sexual
harassment, as the most frequently filed charges. What can companies do
to avoid discrimination charges? Please read the following steps which will
certainly help to avoid any charges or help your case if the case goes to
trial.

1. Documentation and Treating All Employees the Same

Most likely you have terminated the employee who has filed the charges for
business reasons and not discrimination. Therefore, keeping detailed and
up to date records are very important. Be sure to document any disciplinary
actions, counseling sessions and performance reviews. This will help show
that as the employer you provided several warnings regarding work
performance and attempted to help the employee reach the expected
standards.

Be fair and consistent in the way you treat all employees. Make sure that
policies in your employee handbook are up to date and are being followed
exactly the same for everyone.

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 2. Have the Person who Hired the Employee Fire the Employee

The theory behind this step is that if the person willingly hired a woman,
person of race, certain religion, etc. , it is improbable that the same person
could later be accused of being prejudice or discriminating. Along those
lines, it is important to always have a witness when warning or terminating
an employee. Have someone who is in management, who will not gossip,
present while having the meeting with the employee. This will help your
case if a problem comes up later.

3. Training

It is extremely imperative to properly train all interviewers and managers to

be familiar with discrimination laws. This will help to ensure that during an
interview or a meeting between a manager and current employee subjects
that can be construed as discriminating will not be approached. Some laws
that interviewers and managers should be familiar with are the Americans
with Disabilities Act, Family Medical Leave Act, Pregnancy Discrimination
Act, Civil Rights Act, Equal Pay Act, Age Discrimination Act and the Genetic
Information Nondiscrimination Act.

4. Company Policies

Attack the uncomfortable topic of harassment and sexual harassment in

your employee handbook. Be clear about what is considered harassment
and sexual harassment and what the consequences are for any employees
found violating the policy. Again, in this step it is imperative to treat all
employees the same regarding harassment claims. It is also is very
important to take all claims seriously and conduct a thorough and proper
investigation.

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Additionally, have a written termination policy which explains how and why
an employee can be terminated. In most cases employment is at-will and
the employment can be terminated with or without cause.

5. When Hiring, Stick to Job Requirements

Make all hiring decisions based on the requirements of the specific job and
no other reason. Be sure to select the person that best fits those
requirements and that you feel will be the best asset to your company. Do
not take into account any outside factors that may lead to a discrimination
lawsuit. A person does not have to be an employee of your company to file
a discrimination lawsuit. Someone can file a lawsuit against you for not
hiring them if they believe or are led to believe it is because of
discrimination or prejudice.

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 Summary

Workplace Gender discrimination is not only harmful to the professional growth of an individual but
also limits the growth of business firm. There are laws to prevent violation of employees, be it on the
basis of gender, age or race. However, these laws may vary depending on the laws of the state where
the business firm is registered. There may also be a time limit between the act of discrimination and
time of bringing the act in front of the legislation. To maximize one's chance of stopping such
harassment at workplace, timely action on part of the victim is crucial.

Gender discrimination is discrimination against a person or group on the grounds of sex or gender
identity.
Socially, sexual differences have been used to justify societies in which one sex or the other has been
restricted to significantly inferior and secondary roles. While there are non-physical differences between
men and women (gender is learned not genetics), unfair discrimination usually follows the gender
stereotyping held by a society and is used to enforce the roles held by that society as acceptable.

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