Generally when you look at these demographics you will see that the most stable and high paying jobs are usually held by white men while the lower paying and less stable jobs are usually held by minorities or women. The two main causes of employment inequality are racism and sexism.
- Racism being the idea that one race has an inherent superiority over all others
- Sexism is the idea that one gender has an inherent superiority over all others (generally male).
In the United States, both cases of employment inequality have existed in the past, but it is the race based form of employment inequality that still has a strong grip on US society. For example, historical segregation and terror against African Americans has led to a cycle of African Americans having confined employment opportunities, generally lower pay, and generally lower job stability than white employees.
Women in the US up to this day still face a degree of employment inequality despite the massive strides they’ve taken in recent history to improve their employment situation.
Graph of Occupations in the Unites States based upon race and ethnicity
Graph of Income Disparities between those of Whites/Blacks, Males/Females, and working age individuals
However, racism and sexism are not the only bases of discrimination. Discrimination in employment can also be categorized through the following bases: age, disability, equal pay/compensation, genetic information, harassment, national origin, pregnancy, religion, retaliation, sex, sexual harassment, and sexual orientation and gender identity.
However, employment inequality isn't just a problem in the US.
A specific example would be the major gender and race based employment inequality that has begun in The People’s Republic of China in the last ten or so years. According to statistics, in 2017 only 63% of the Chinese female labor force worked, that number is down 65.5% as compared to 2007. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) also has employed government backed segregation of Muslim minorities in China. Not only is it already hard for these minorities to find a job but the CCP also has rounded many up and sent them off to labor camps in the Chinese countryside.
Job Posting in Beijing, China (2017)
Employment inequality based on gender is also very prevalent throughout the Middle East. In fact, the Middle East has the lowest percentage of employed women in the entire world at 32%.
Employment inequality is a problem that must be addressed. It has taken over many parts of the world and has been prevalent in America for a long time.
There are organizations to help though the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The EEOC is an organization that is in charge of enforcing federal laws including discrimination and harassment in the workplace. The commission follows federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate because of a person’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age (40 or older), and or disability.
- The EEOC also has the authority to investigate charges of discrimination against employers who are covered by the law. Their role in an investigation is to fairly and accurately assess the allegations in the charge and then make a finding. If found that discrimination has occurred, they will try to settle the charge. If unsuccessful, the EEOC has the authority to file a lawsuit to protect the rights of individuals and the interests of the public and litigate a small percentage of these cases. When deciding to file a lawsuit, the EEOC considers several factors such as the strength of the evidence, the issues in the case, and the wider impact the lawsuit could have on the EEOC's efforts to combat workplace discrimination. (U.S Equal Employment Commission, 2023)
- The EEOC also also works to prevent discrimination before it occurs through outreach, education, and technical assistance programs.
Here is a video on the basics of workplace discrimination and what you need to do if you ever encounter it.
To fight against this we ask you to write a letter to the legislature to include a social worker in every work related interview.