Glass ceiling is a type of workplace discrimination that prevents certain employees from competing fairly for management positions. It prevents individuals from getting high-level management positions in the company.
Here you will find out what exactly is meant by a glass ceiling, and also what remedies are available to address this workplace discrimination.
Glass Ceiling: An Overview
Glass ceiling refers to an artificial barrier that is put in place in a company to prevent women, LGBT, and people of color from attaining management position. The discrimination against certain employee segment can take on different forms. It keeps employees from reaching their full potential and obtaining the best-paid and influential position in the company.
The workplace discrimination can take on different forms. Here are some of the examples that are termed as glass ceiling discrimination.
- Denying promotion to a leadership post despite having good work performance and required qualifications
- Excluding an employee from opportunities to gain leadership position such as leadership training due to gender, sexual orientation, or race
- Transferring to another department without any explanation that reduces chances of an employee of attaining a leadership position
- Excluding an employee from meetings where key information about the company is shared solely because of gender or race
- Depriving of valuable accounts
Any of the above action constitute glass ceiling discrimination. You need to take immediate action to report the discrimination and get a compensation for unfair treatment at the workplace.
How to Combat Glass Ceiling Discrimination?
If you think that you have been denied promotion to a leadership position due to your gender, race, religion, or sexual identity, you can take different measures to address the injustice.
- You can submit an internal written complaint to the HR department
- You can file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The EEOC website contains information on how you can file a complaint. You can submit a component through the EEOC public portal. A staff member will then talk to you to assess your situation and recommend the best course of action. Different options will be suggested depending on whether you work for a private or public company.
- You can file a court case against the employer. Make sure that you talk to an experienced workplace discrimination attorney to know about your legal options. Due to the statute of limitations regarding discrimination claims, you should get an expert legal advice as soon as possible.
Various remedies are available for creating artificial barriers that prevents a worker from attaining leadership position. The court may order the employer to pay compensatory damages for the discrimination. This will compensate the victim for out-of-pocket expenses for searching a new job, medical costs, lawyers’ fees, litigation costs, and cost of interviewing witnesses.
The exact remedies depend on the circumstances surrounding the case. The court outcome will depend on whether the employee worked for a state, federal, or local company. Also, whether the discrimination was intentional or unintentional will determine the court outcome. You should contact an experienced workplace discrimination attorney to know about your legal options to raise voice against the dissimilatory barrier.