Yesterday, you may have noticed fewer female co-workers on the job. Even if you didn’t, your social media accounts were likely populated with mentions of “A Day Without Women.” This was all the result of International Women’s Day, which is a day dedicated to acknowledging the challenges and contributions of women in the workplace.
While the day itself has passed, the message it sends is still as relevant and timely as ever. In fact, there are three things that both men and women right here in the U.S. can take away from this day.
- Discrimination against women does exist. Even though it is prohibited by state and federal laws, women are still discriminated against because of their gender and pregnancy.
- There are still discrepancies between wages for men and wages for women. While progress has certainly been made, there are still many women who aren’t earning what their male counterparts are earning.
- Raising awareness of the challenges that women face in the workplace can help to motivate all employees and employers to get behind fair treatment and compliance with employment laws.
Whether International Women’s Day sparked any conversations in your family or your workplace, the fact remains that recognizing both the struggles and advancements of nearly half the American workforce in an important endeavor.
If you are a woman who has been mistreated on the job, discriminated against or unfairly compensated, you don’t need to wait for a certain day to call attention to such issues and protect your rights. You can work with an attorney to file a legal claim seeking compensation, unpaid wages, job restoration and other remedies.