Improving Workplace Opportunities For Women

For centuries, women have been seen as lesser than men: the stereotype that females are the “weaker sex” barred them from opportunities to be seen as equal to men. Many believed that a woman should be relegated to domestic roles; jobs that were seen as too “soft” and feminine for a man to do. Women in Canada were not exempt from this expectation that the only job they should have was in the home. While this viewpoint is antiquated and restrictive towards women, it held merit in that women were the ones who stayed at home for generations while the men went out to work. However, the 20th century ushered in a new era for working women. Over the last century, women have proven their integral role in the Canadian workforce. Canadian women have

For centuries, women have been treated with inequality and denied basic rights that men are given. However, when World War 11 began on September 10, 1939, things began to change. Canada was still struggling with the remnants of the Great Depression, and out of 11 million people, 900,000 were unemployed. 20% of that number were women. There were only 600,000 working ladies, but they made up the small portion of 17% of the labour force. As the men left for war, the females took over most of the jobs in the factories. Many even said they did a better job than the men did. Over time, they began to work a variety of jobs that they were not able to before, but it wasn’t enough. Even though by 1944, the end of the war, the number of women working

The gender wage gap is the difference in earnings between women and men in the workplace. It is a widely recognized indicator of women’s economic equality, and is measured by comparing annual earnings of women full-time, year round, to working men. Currently, the gender gap is at 28% in Canada. To be valued less than any man I have and will ever meet despite my education, drive, skills, or intelligence simply because I am a woman, is an issue that I will not let stand. I am committed to addressing the discrimination in wages and employment and the undervaluing of women and our work.

Over the past few decades, great strides have been made by women in the workplace. This increased number in women in the workplace does not mean equality however. Even with equal qualifications and achievements, women are still not given all the opportunities that men have. The chapter in the textbook, “Gender at Work”, shows us more of these inequalities in the workplace. Such inequalities cause gender segregation of jobs and can be linked with the pay inequality in the labor force. Even in jobs that are predominantly filled by women, men earn more than women. Women are often stereotyped as being family focused and not as able to travel, therefore they tend to get passed up for promotions (Garson p.353). This invisible barrier that keeps women from moving up the executive ladder is referred to as the “glass ceiling” (Baxter and Wright p. 346). Women also tend to do more domestic work, or unpaid labor and caregiving. This extra unpaid work is referred to as “the third shift” and is largely rested on the shoulders of women (Gersel p. 352). Consequently, this seems to be one of the biggest things holding women back from taking on jobs that are normally considered male

Canadian workplaces today seem to be a fairly diverse place, with a blend of many religions, ethnicities, and genders present. However, although people preach affirmative action and melting pots in current times, many inequality and power issues still abound. One strikingly noticeable example is gender discrimination. Women in the workforce face many challenges like smaller wages, harassment, male privilege in hiring or promotions, and lack of support when pregnant or raising children. One half of the planet is women, and it can be assumed the same for Canada, but they still face judgment at work because they lack the authority to dispute against big corporations or even their male supervisor. It cannot be argued that

Despite legislation for equal opportunities, sexism is still evident in the workplace. Women have made great advancements in the workforce and have become an integral part of the labor market. They have greater access to higher education and as a result, greater access to traditionally male dominated professions such as law. While statistics show that women are equal to men in terms of their numbers in the law profession, it is clear however, that they have not yet achieved equality in all other areas of their employment. Discrimination in the form of gender, sex and sexual harassment continues to be a problem in today’s society.

It has been a long and hard journey in Canada to attain gender equality between men and women. Today, most people are unaware of the discrimination in workplaces, schools, and everyday life. Due to the Famous Five who lead the Persons Case that stated women as official persons, and many heroic individuals who lead the Women’s Suffrage Movement, women now have more opportunities than ever before. The Canadian Labour Movement has helped improve many citizens’ careers including those of women, protecting them from discrimination, violence, and harassment at work. Saskatchewan feminism has followed a similar path to Canada concerning women’s rights, most often categorized into three influential periods of time. The gender pay gap is the difference of money that men and women make, that is a crucial example of gender inequality. Gender stereotypes have limited the ability of men and women, judging them with false ideas through the media. All of these have played a major part of women’s rights and gender equality today.

This speech drastically enhances women’s status by drawing government’s attention, which enforces women’s equality and human rights both domestically and internationally. In fact, more women are employed year by year. In 2009, over 8.1 million women were employed in Canada, which is double the number of women employed three decades ago; in 2009, 28% of the women aged 25 to 54 have a bachelor or postgraduate university degree in Canada, which is more than double the proportion twenty years ago. Although there is still a long way to go for women to be truly treated equally, Clinton’s speech in 1995 definitely gave an initiating

The pay gap that exists between men and women is an obstacle that has existed since women first joined the work force in the early 20th century. After almost one hundred years one would think that by 2016 this problem would be almost eradicated, especially in a first world country such as Canada. Unfortunately, this is far from the truth. In Canada, there is still a demonstrable difference in the gender pay gap, with women earning almost 20% less than men for doing similar or identical types of work. In this paper I am going to address why there is such a considerable wage gap between men and women in Canada. I will also evaluate some of the reasons that experts offer as to why this problem still in occurs in Canada. In addition, I will

In 1987 a pay equity act has been present in Canada, this act is used to prevent discrimination to women by requiring that employers that find that that female employees being paid less than male employees while performing the same job at the same skill level receive pay equal to the amount of the male counterpart. While having this act in place has not necessarily changed the story for women, in fact Canada’s position in the World Economic Forum gender-gap dropped 11 positions to 19th within the time range of 10 years, (Grant, 2015) and females in Canada are still earning 26 cents less for every dollar earned than males. (Moyser, 2017) The pay gap between men and women affect employers, employees, and society as a whole, as RBC predicts that

There has been a major development in women’s equal rights since the Equality Act 2010 was introduced that includes gender equality as one of the strands which states people under this act cannot discriminate or harass and victimise another individual( Ref). The gender pay gap between men and women has been on debate for many years. This essay will examine whether or not in this modern day society their still remain gender inequalities through the use of relevant theories this essay is determined to establish whether these inequalities still exist in employment by exploring social, biological and cultural explanations and differences between men and women. Why women are more likely to be discriminated and oppressed and how I can use this awareness to challenge and address gender inequalities in employment.

Ever since the 1929 Person’s case, women were recognized as equal in the eyes of the law and this was revolutionizing. This is the first time in Canadian history where a certain social group stood up for what they believed in because, women wanted to be treated as equals. In today 's society we do recognized women to be just as equal as men, but this does not pertain in Canada’s labor force because women are still being treated unfairly in regards to fair wages and the possibility of being able to work any job around Canada. Gender segregation in our labor market can be explained as, not being able to receive that same treatment as the opposite sex. This is because women are stereotypically looked at as a weaker gender; they expect women to work part time jobs, and the unfair wage gap between women and men.

Women remain at an economic disadvantage compared to men due to the fact that some occupations still pay women less than their male counterparts. This unequal pay reinforces the thinking that it is okay for men to make more than women just because of their gender. This is an obstacle within the workplace which prevents a woman from advancing her career and allows for higher positions to continue consisting almost entirely of men. Present day in the labour market, “Canadian women earn 23% less than men regardless of their age, education or occupation” (Struman, 2015). Even though women have been quite successful in seeking employment and many possess a decent education, women continue to face a difference in pay because of their gender. In order to be seen as equals women need to be earning the same amount as their male coworkers because they possess the necessary skills needed to complete the job. Differences in pay should be based on an individual’s qualifications and job experience not their gender. The difference in pay prevents women from achieving success and reinforces the point that women remain at an economic disadvantage. Gender based pay is problematic and “[t]he Canadian gender pay gap is the fifth largest among the 34 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development countries… [and] the pay gap is particularly pronounced for single mothers, racialized women, First Nations women, and women with disabilities” (Struman, 2015). Gender

It is possible for employers to comply with existing legislation, but to continue to make sexist assumptions when appointing or promoting staff. In conclusion, women are being devalued in the workplace. Even if they hold a job that requires equal education and skills, they are being paid less than men. In the world today, issues such as child abuse, the unfair treatment of animals and the environment have been, or are being addressed.

In conclusion it has been proven that inequality still exists within companies. If women want to be paid based off their skills and not their gender, they need to become aware of the fact that this problem is still around and fight to get rid of it. Carol Hymowitz’s article reflects on the need to make a change in businesses around the world to offer diversity and equality. The change has to start with women coming together and taking a stand against discrimination. With constant change and growth within our country, there is no reason