Key Women Issues
Research Paper Key Women’s Issues: Pregnancy Discrimination, Pay Equity, and the Glass Ceiling
Alfreda Grinder, BS HRMG 5000 Managing Human Resources Fall I
Instructor: Mr. Tony Denkins October 5, 2010 Since the days of Roe v. Wade, women in the United States have made great gains in many ways in society. Two consecutive presidential administrations women have serviced as Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Condoles Rice. We are seeing rising female political stars of recent, two progressive female nominees of President Obama were recently ratified to the Supreme Court. Pepsi Cola, Hewlett Packard, Budweiser of Pepin Company has all had women Chief Executive Officers. However, with all of the gains of individual women, deeply entrenched sociological obstacles to full participation in society still exist. Most important among these women’s issues are pregnancy discrimination, pay equity, and the glass ceiling. While your family and you may find your new pregnancy to be joyous news, breaking the news to their employer may be difficult to some women. Fortunately, in the United States women are protected in the workplace against pregnancy discrimination by state and federal laws. Pregnancy has been deemed a “temporary disability” by the Federal government, and employers are required to treat it as such. A new pregnancy will take some getting used to, and women may have to test the flexibility of her employer to see how well their pregnancy will be accommodated. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which includes the subsequent Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 (PDA), protects against this form of sex discrimination. The employer cannot ask a potential employee if she is currently pregnant in the interview stage, or are they planning to become pregnant in the future. The employer cannot refuse to hire her based on if she is pregnant. For current employees, the Pregnancy
Alfreda Grinder, BS HRMG 5000 Managing Human Resources Fall I
Instructor: Mr. Tony Denkins October 5, 2010 Since the days of Roe v. Wade, women in the United States have made great gains in many ways in society. Two consecutive presidential administrations women have serviced as Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Condoles Rice. We are seeing rising female political stars of recent, two progressive female nominees of President Obama were recently ratified to the Supreme Court. Pepsi Cola, Hewlett Packard, Budweiser of Pepin Company has all had women Chief Executive Officers. However, with all of the gains of individual women, deeply entrenched sociological obstacles to full participation in society still exist. Most important among these women’s issues are pregnancy discrimination, pay equity, and the glass ceiling. While your family and you may find your new pregnancy to be joyous news, breaking the news to their employer may be difficult to some women. Fortunately, in the United States women are protected in the workplace against pregnancy discrimination by state and federal laws. Pregnancy has been deemed a “temporary disability” by the Federal government, and employers are required to treat it as such. A new pregnancy will take some getting used to, and women may have to test the flexibility of her employer to see how well their pregnancy will be accommodated. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which includes the subsequent Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 (PDA), protects against this form of sex discrimination. The employer cannot ask a potential employee if she is currently pregnant in the interview stage, or are they planning to become pregnant in the future. The employer cannot refuse to hire her based on if she is pregnant. For current employees, the Pregnancy
References: http://www.childbirrthsolutions.com/articles/pregnancy/predisc/index.php http://www.pregnancyetc.com/pregnancy-discrimination.htm http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/encyclopedia/For-Gol/Glass-Ceiling.html http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/pay-equity.html Jackson, John H. and Mathis, Robert L. Human Resource Management Twelfth Ed. P. 373-374 Jackson, John H. and Mathis, Robert L. Human Resource Management Twelfth Ed. P.137-138 Jackson, John H. and Mathis, Robert L. Human Resource Management Twelfth Ed. P. 109