Facebook CEO’s book ignites controversy on gender discrimination

By Thomas Ricotta on March 12th, 2013 in Workplace Discrimination

Many New York readers have already come across more than one article commenting on the new book by Facebook CEO Sheryl Sandberg. The book has ignited major controversy and a wider discussion about women in the workplace, including raising important questions about gender bias in pay and promotional opportunities.

Although gender discrimination is illegal in New York and under federal laws, and it is illegal to pay someone less simply because of their sex, women still earn only 80 cents for every one dollar that men earn doing the same work. This fact and other similar statistics, along with the relatively small number of female CEOs in the American business world, has gained new attention since Sandberg’s book took up the cause. Many New York readers may not be aware, but only four percent of companies in the S&P 500 are run by female CEOs.

The book itself purports to help women overcome bias and discrimination in the workplace through lessons in leadership. However, gender discrimination should be unacceptable in workplaces regardless of the leadership style of a particular employee, and state anti-discrimination laws should theoretically prevent employers from treating someone differently based solely on their gender, race, religion, ethnicity, nationality, disability status, or age.

Yet, discrimination still happens far too often and many women in New York are still subject to lower pay and less opportunities to advance at work compared to their male counterparts. Employees who have experienced this first hand can pursue a remedy through an employment law action and can seek to be paid the same and to end the discrimination perpetuated at their workplace.

Source: Huffington Post, “Paul Krugman: Sheryl Sandberg’s Book Shows How ‘Unprepared We Are To Have Women As A Full Part Of Our Society’” March 11, 2013.