How To Prove Gender Discrimination in the Workplace
You have the right to fair, equal treatment in the workplace, regardless of gender. Unfortunately, gender discrimination exists in workplaces across the United States.
If you suspect an employer has discriminated against you because of your gender, learn how to prove gender discrimination at work. Then, contact a Kansas City employment lawyer for legal assistance.
Examples of Gender Discrimination in the Workplace
Even though gender is a protected class under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, gender discrimination still exists. A workplace equality survey in 2024 found that women earn just 84 cents for every dollar men earn.
Gender discrimination can take countless forms. These are a few examples of how gender discrimination can manifest in the workplace:
- Unfair pay: A person of a different gender receives higher pay than you, even though you have the same job duties and experience.
- Gender stereotyping: A manager promotes a male coworker to a labor-intensive role rather than a female employee under the assumption that men are stronger than women.
- Hostile work environment: An employee faces hostility due to their gender; for example, perhaps a man in a woman-dominated field is consistently the butt of jokes because of his gender.
- Pregnancy discrimination: An employer hesitates to hire a woman because they do not want to pay for maternity leave down the line.
- Misgendering: A person who has changed their gender identity experiences mistreatment, misgendering, or other forms of discrimination.
- Unfair dress and grooming codes: An employer requires women to stick to stricter or more unreasonable dress codes than men.
Effective Strategies To Prove Gender Discrimination at Work
Because gender discrimination has such a broad definition, you must provide extensive evidence to show that an employer’s or coworker’s actions constitute this form of mistreatment. These tips for how to prove gender discrimination at work can help:
- Document discriminatory communications: Save copies of emails, texts, and voicemails that indicate an adverse employment action. Download them off of your work computer and keep them in a safe place, away from the office. Do not send them to your personal email address.
- Take note of verbal statements: When an employer or coworker uses discriminatory language, take note of the conversation along with the date, time, and location.
- Seek witness statements: If coworkers witnessed the discriminatory behavior or also experienced it, ask them if they will support you in a gender discrimination claim and if they would talk to your lawyer
- Contact an attorney: An experienced employment lawyer can help you build your case.
Report your employer’s disparate treatment to HR and contact an employment attorney for assistance. Employer retaliation is illegal; you should not need to worry about losing your job for reporting discrimination. If something happens to you after you report discrimination (like a change in your working conditions or an adverse change in your schedule), keep good notes on what happened and when.
Contact Dugan Schlozman, LLC, for Legal Help
Understanding how to prove gender discrimination at work can help you feel more confident navigating a case against your employer. If you’re wondering when to talk to an employment lawyer about discrimination, know you have nothing to lose by scheduling a consultation.
Dugan Schlozman, LLC, provides high-quality legal services for employment matters. Fill out our online form or call 913-374-6351 to schedule your consultation today.
