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Discrimination in advancement 

On Behalf of | Jul 22, 2024 | Employment Discrimination |

Many employers understand that they’re supposed to offer an equal opportunity to all prospective employees. They can’t discriminate during the hiring process – deciding not to hire women or minority workers, for example. All workers need the same chance to get a job based on their skills and qualifications, not their inclusion in a protected class.

But one problem that sometimes occurs is that an employer will discriminate after workers have already been hired. The employer may not even realize that this is occurring. They think that they are providing an equal opportunity to everyone in line with the law. But the fact that certain workers see a vast reduction in advancement opportunities means that equal treatment is not actually being provided and discrimination may be occurring.

The glass ceiling

This phenomenon has often been referred to as the glass ceiling. This started in the women’s rights movement when it was determined that it was harder for women to advance to executive roles. But in 2024, the glass ceiling is often used to refer to anyone who sees these barriers to advancement, including minority workers.

An example could be a woman who wants to work her way up to be on the company’s board or take on a managerial role. She does her job excellently and has years of experience but keeps getting passed over for promotions. These promotions are given to male workers with less experience and who are objectively less qualified. 

When there’s a pattern of this type of behavior, it could indicate that discrimination is occurring, and employees in this situation must know what legal steps they can take.