What it takes to be a workplace that empowers women

For all the professional gains women have made over the years, gender-based wage discrimination persists. This was a key finding in a public forum held by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in late April. The forum, which was attended by government and private-sector experts, was just one of 24 events the federal agency sponsored this past spring to bring attention to the problem of wage discrimination.

A representative from Catalyst -- a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to expanding opportunities for women in business – expressed concern about the gender leadership gap that accompanies the pay gap. She shared that over 98% of Fortune 500 companies are led by male CEOs, and that women at these companies start off with salaries $4,600 less than men.

Clearly, we can do better.

Employers can make equal rights for women a bigger priority (and demonstrate their support) by:

Extending equal pay for equal work – The wage gap was 23% in 2009, meaning the average American women was paid 77 cents for every dollar made by a man. How do the female employees in your company fare? More important, do you have a method for determining the fair market rate for any given job? Your company – and the women in it – may benefit from a fresh approach that updates job descriptions, assesses skill and responsibilities for each job, and ensures consistent application of rates and salaries.

Evaluating employee training, development and promotion opportunities – How are employees selected to participate in training programs or lead special projects and task forces? How many women, versus men, are in management positions due to your company’s investment in their growth and development? It’s important that the women in your company are targeted for career-building opportunities as frequently as the men. High-quality training enables your staff, particularly those who are taking on new or expanded roles, to be more versatile and increase their contributions to the company.

Preventing workplace harassment and discrimination – Of course you have a company policy that prohibits harassment based on sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability and/or any other legally protected status. But what are you doing to reinforce it and cultivate a positive, respectful corporate culture? You should give every employee and manager a copy of your company’s anti-harassment policy at the time of hire and at least once a year thereafter. You should also conduct periodic training to build awareness and strengthen your position against all forms of harassment and discrimination. Don’t assume managers and employees “know better,” especially when it comes to the finer points of proper workplace conduct.

Offering flexible options for a greater work/life balance – Employees are more stressed than ever, juggling increasingly heavier workloads and the demands of home. And since women are the traditional caregivers of children and aging parents, they tend to feel this push/pull more acutely. The good news is that workplace flexibility benefits both employees and employers by improving retention, boosting productivity and reducing burnout. Whether letting employees telecommute, work part time or leave early one day a week, be open to flexible arrangements that give employees more of what they want most: time.

What it takes to be a workplace that empowers women

Women continue to earn less than men - but why?

Today's post comes from G.Neil's HR News Weekly:

For all the professional gains women have made over the years, gender-based wage discrimination persists. This was a key finding in a public forum held by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in late April.  The forum, which was attended by government and private-sector experts, was just one of 24 events the federal agency is sponsoring nationwide in April and May to bring attention to the problem of wage discrimination. The EEOC is a primary member of the National Equal Pay Enforcement Task Force, created by President Obama to “improve compliance, public education, and enforcement of equal pay laws.”

A representative from Catalyst – a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to expanding opportunities for women in business – expressed concern about the gender leadership gap that accompanies the pay gap. She shared that over 98% of Fortune 500 companies are led by male CEOs, and that women at these companies start off with salaries $4,600 less than men.

“ … studies show that a significant portion of the wage disparity cannot be explained by differences in experience, specific work performed, education or other nondiscriminatory factors,” said EEOC Chair Jacqueline A. Berrien. “This persistent disparity is a stark reminder that the EEOC’s work to end every form of sex discrimination in the workplace – including compensation discrimination – is still unfinished business.”

Women continue to earn less than men - but why?

President signs equal pay for equal work bill

This morning, President Barack Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act into law, an equal-pay bill that will make it easier for employees to sue for pay discrimination.

As Obama signed his first piece of legislation as President, he ended a 2007 Supreme Court decision that said workers must file a pay-discrimination lawsuit within 180 days of a company’s initial decision to pay them less than another worker performing the same job.

Throughout his campaign, Obama promised to sign the bill, which became a focal point for labor and women’s groups.

From President Obama’s statement on the law this morning:

It is fitting that with the very first bill I sign - the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act - we are upholding one of this nation's first principles: that we are all created equal and each deserve a chance to pursue our own version of happiness.

... So in signing this bill today, I intend to send a clear message: That making our economy work means making sure it works for everyone. That there are no second class citizens in our workplaces, and that it's not just unfair and illegal - but bad for business - to pay someone less because of their gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion or disability. And that justice isn't about some abstract legal theory, or footnote in a casebook - it's about how our laws affect the daily realities of people's lives: their ability to make a living and care for their families and achieve their goals.

It is estimated that women are still paid about 78 cents for every dollar that men are paid for doing equal work, according to 2008 Census Bureau statistics.

The Act is named after a former Goodyear employee who didn’t become aware of a pay discrepancy until the end of her career. She sued, but the Supreme Court ruled in 2007 that she missed her chance.

The Ledbetter Act will amend the 1964 Civil Rights Act to reach farther than gender to include pay discrimination based on factors such as race, religion, national origin, disability or age.

President signs equal pay for equal work bill