Examples of Gender Discrimination in the Workplace

These examples of gender discrimination show how it usually appears at work, in ordinary decisions rather than obvious hostility. The patterns that turn up most often in Australian workplaces:

• Passing over a candidate who is pregnant, or asking about plans to have children at interview
• Restructuring a role while the person is on parental leave
• Refusing a flexible work request without genuinely considering it
• Assuming a parent will not want work involving travel or after-hours commitments
• Paying differently for comparable work
• Steering client-facing or technical work towards one gender
• Performance feedback that rewards assertiveness in men and marks it down in women

Pregnancy and family responsibilities are protected attributes under the Sex Discrimination Act 1984, and decisions in those areas can breach the Act even where nobody intended harm. The Australian Human Rights Commission publishes guidance for employers. This is general information rather than legal advice.

To set expectations with your managers, see Sentrient’s equal employment opportunity course or the full workplace compliance courses range.