Sex Discrimination Is Non-Existentin the Workplace in Hong Kong

Introduction:
Hong Kong, known as”Pearl of the Orient” which enjoys the freedom of speech, the freedom of economy and the finest legal system. However, discrimination is everywhere. It is because people are not equally. It would always be inequality among people referring to physical and mental processes. Of course the two sexes are not equal, so that sex discrimination is always an issue in a society, especially in workplace.

Background:
It is a matter of fact that a employer will base on their education background, belief, own interest and preference to hire the staffs and even for the promotion, benefits, bonus. And women have the traditionally and historically been subjected to legal discrimination form their gender. Some of this mind set still on cultural stereotypes that treats women primarity in the roles of wives and mothers. Futher women have been bench-marked as the “weaker sex” than male which might need protection from the third party. Such beliefs were used in the job market, both in public and private sector.

The situation
In the past practice of government, for example, Anson Chan(Post Chief Secretary for Administration) had employed with a lower salary than male civil servant in the same position. It is because she is not a man and did not count on her ability to work. The other example is Bank of China group did not ever have a female as a CEO position which also is another kind of in-direct sex discrimination. Form Hong Kong already had Sex Discrimination Ordinance which passed in 1995. Discrimination on the basis of sex, marital status and pregnancy and sexual harassment are make to unlawful under this legal law. According to SDO which both is protecting of men and women.

However, There is a law does not mean that sex discrimination is non-extistent. Employers still can get full control of the employment because they will not disclose the truth to the candidates due to the gender issue, like the secretary post is always a woman. In fact, the other kind of in-direct discrimination because some think woman will soon leave the position to a house-wives or woman will get pregnancy, so that some of employers are not willing to promote a female as a top management to save the parental leave.

The other common Sex discrimination is sexual harassment in workplace. Sexual harassment is intimidation, bullying or coercion of a sexual nature, or the unwelcome or inappropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. Surely sexual harassment is illegal. Harassment can include “sexual harassment” or unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature.
In many listed companies, most of staffs are male and always claim that woman is even cheap or criticize woman who is not wise enough.. In my workplace often would happen such issue. I have heard my boss said” Secretary should be a virgin” and I will make a promotion or raise salary only base on her appearance and good shape of body. This is a sexual harassment cannot easily valid.

The other example is a Legislative Councillor Mr Kam Nai Wai was suspected sexual harassment to a female assistant and also had fired her eventually. And this case even cannot make a charge at first stage. So that a lot of things cannot be protected by law.
Limitations

Sex discrimination not only will affect the economic growth but also will harm the organization image. First, human capital is a key source of a company if cannot let the capable people to the right position that would decrease the human capital.
Corporate image also is another huge resource that goodwill can make the brand name growth. It is remind that enterprises do not under-estimate the consequence of sex discrimination because once involves on a lawsuit can be a huge loss.

Recommendation

Sex discrimination should be a key issue of an organization and should imply to all work force to obey. Many of organizations can gain form avoiding sex discrimination, like some international business, HSBC, Cheung Kong Holdings Limited It will definitely increase the productively and should put a effort like training program and re-enforcement on daily operation.

Information form Hong Kong Labour department, there is still uneven distribution on job nature and income of male and female in 2010 as below:

|Leading Occupations for Women, in 2010 |
|Occupation |Total Employed (Men and Women)|Percent Women |Ratio of Women 's Earnings to Men 's |
| | | |Earnings |
|source: HK. Labor department, Women 's Bureau, 20 Leading Occupations of Employed Women, 2010 |
|Managers and administrators |8,018 |31.0 |65.9 |
|Secretaries |2,404 |98.9 |N.A. |
|Cashiers |2,974 |77.9 |89.4 |
|Registered nurses |2,162 |93.1 |88.9 |
|Sales supervisors and proprietors |4,836 |43.3 |71.5 |
|Nursing aides, orderlies, and |2,081 |91.0 |90.1 |
|attendants | | | |
|Elementary school teachers |2,216 |82.5 |94.9 |
|Bookkeepers, accounting and auditing |1,621 |932 |93.7 |
|clerks | | | |

Conclusion
Although there is a big improvement in female employment, some of industries still focus in male or female work force only. Towards to Twenty-one century, there should be more and more equal job opportunities to both gender and also need to decrease the chance of sex harassment. Finally, people in Hong Kong will gain form the revolution.
Bibliography
Why market don’t stop discrimination by Cass R Sunstein
HK Labour department information 2010 by GOVHK
Sex discrimination ordinance by Equal Opportunities Commission
Sex harassment by Wikipedia

Total word(1050 words)

Bibliography: Why market don’t stop discrimination by Cass R Sunstein HK Labour department information 2010 by GOVHK Sex discrimination ordinance by Equal Opportunities Commission Sex harassment by Wikipedia Total word(1050 words)