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March 8th is International Women’s Day. On this day in 1909, the first Women’s Day was observed in the United States when female garment workers protested against poor working conditions. The very next year at the Socialist International meeting in Copenhagen, Women’s Day was established as an international holiday to raise awareness about the inequality of pay and treatment between men and women in the workplace.
Each year, the council for International Women’s Day creates a hashtag so people around the world can share their posts and stories about the strong women in their lives. The hashtag is meant to be used all year long, not only on International Women’s Day as to promote equality each and every day. This year, the hashtag is #BalanceforBetter. The idea behind #BalanceforBetter is that everyone, no matter the gender, has a part to play in creating an equal-opportunity world. The hashtag also runs on the idea that balance is not a women’s issue but a business issue and it’s up to all of us to strive for gender-balanced governments, media coverage, companies, and communities. #BalanceforBetter recognizes that we are stronger when we work together.
International Women’s Day also brings awareness to workplace discrimination. According to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, it is illegal for employers to discriminate, demote, or fire on the basis of sex. It is important to familiarize yourself with your company’s anti-discrimination and anti-harassment statement and know your rights as an employee.
If you feel you are being harassed or discriminated against in your workplace, call Leonard Sciolla and ask to speak with any one of our employment law attorneys.
