BY: Tenicia Moulden, Esq
Career women face many legal challenges that can impede their career development. These challenges include the gender gap in pay, childcare gaps for working women, and the grooming gap for female professionals. Understanding these legal issues is essential to ensure that professional women reach their full capacity.
GENDER PAY GAP: A gender pay gap occurs when a man earns more than a woman. This can result in financial instability for women, who are more likely to take on multiple jobs and sacrifice their own career growth to earn enough income. Gender disparities in pay remain a significant challenge for professional women. Despite laws prohibiting wage discrimination based on gender, research shows that women still earn less than men in many cases. A recent study by the International Monetary Funds shared that “discrimination against women in the workforce globally has led to…the prevalence of a gender wage gap.” The legal remedies for gender disparity include laws such as equal pay, equal opportunity, and anti-discrimination policies*. These laws are designed to ensure that women have the same rights and opportunities as men in the workplace.
GROOMING GAP: This phenomenon refers to the difference in how men and women are groomed for success in the workplace. This gap has been found to significantly influence the favoritism shown by managers toward male employees over female employees. There hasn’t been much headway in laws to help combat the grooming gap. The grooming gap can be seen in how men are encouraged to take more risks, take on additional responsibilities, and strive for higher positions than their female counterparts. It also manifests in how women are given a different level of support or recognition than their male counterparts. This leads to an unequal playing field, making it difficult for women to reach their full capacity at work. Also, women spend more money and time on appearance than their male counterparts typically do not have to deal with.
It is important for women to be aware of the grooming gap and its effects on their career prospects. Additionally, companies can strive to create a more inclusive working environment by encouraging diversity and providing equal opportunities for all employees.
CHILDCARE GAP: Childcare is another issue working mothers face, as it can be challenging to find affordable, quality childcare options for children of all ages. Additionally, the “motherhood penalty” – where employers are less likely to hire or promote a woman with children – exacerbates this challenge even further. The lack of government support has created a gap in the job market that disproportionately affects women. According to The Center for American Progress, women often cannot take higher[1]paying jobs due to the lack of access to adequate childcare and other necessary resources. This is compounded by the fact that many employers do not provide adequate parental leave policies, workplace flexibility measures, or paid family leave policies. In addition, sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace can make it difficult for women to advance their careers. As a result, many women are being kept from achieving their full capacity in the workforce.
Despite the progress made in recent years, the gender gap continues to be a significant challenge. Education and support networks are essential to help women achieve parity with men in their professional lives. These networks can provide career women with the tools and resources they need to succeed in their chosen fields and to fight against any gender-based discrimination they may encounter. Additionally, these networks can provide a platform for career women to discuss their experiences and share advice on how best to navigate the workplace. With education and support networks, we can work together toward closing these gaps once and for all.
A few key appointments have been made to our judicial system in an attempt to bring clarity on specific issues that require further attention. These changes are expected to profoundly affect how our justice system works today.
In the past few years, three significant milestones have been marked in history. The first Black woman U.S. Supreme Court Justice was appointed, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Kyra Bolden Harris became the first Black Woman Michigan Supreme Court Judge, and Dawn Ison was appointed as the first Black Woman US Attorney for Eastern District of Michigan. In addition, to date, 57 of 75 federal judges appointed by President Biden have been women.
*Visit U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission at eeoc.gov for more information
Tenicia Moulden, Esq. is a thriving entrepreneur, attorney, and devoted mother. With over 15 years of experience in estate planning and financial services, she founded Moulden Law to offer estate planning to young professionals, entrepreneurs, and women business owners, helping them unlock generational wealth