Gender Discrimination Sample Letter

If you have been the victim of gender discrimination you will need to send a letter notifying your employer of the incident.

Your employer should promptly respond to this letter and do something to put a stop to the gender discrimination.

Your letter should have an introduction, body, and conclusion, so it gets to the point and provides the essential details.

How to Address Gender Discrimination in the Workplace

It is illegal to discriminate against an employee because of their gender. If you believe you have been discriminated against at work due to your gender, you are entitled to exert your rights and complain about your treatment. As soon as you have the evidence that you have been badly treated, you should report the matter to your HR in writing. Evidence you could use to prove the gender discrimination is a letter—more specifically, a gender discrimination letter (outlined in detail below)—from your employer stating your refusal for promotion was due to your gender and not your ability to do the job. All communication with your Human Resources (HR) should be copied so that you still have the evidence if you need it at a later date.

If your HR does nothing to reverse the gender discrimination, you should file a complaint or charge of discrimination with a government agency, such as the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), or your state’s Fair Employment Practices Agency (FEPA). You have the right to tell your employer that you are planning to file a charge, and they cannot retaliate against you for doing this.

There are strict deadlines in force when filing complaints with government agencies such as the EEOC which is called “statutes of limitations.” In most states, the statute of limitations is either 180 or 300 days from the date of gender discrimination, depending on the state where the incident took place.

You may be able to file a lawsuit against your employer for gender discrimination if the EEOC or your state’s FEPA have issued you with a “Right-to-Sue” Notice.

What Should I Include in My Gender Discrimination Sample Letter?

The Introduction Of The Letter

The introduction of the letter is important. You will include the address to your employer or to the office to which you are sending the letter.

You will need to state your name and your position with the company along with a little background of your stint there.

You will also need to state why you are writing the letter, which in this case would be you suffered gender discrimination in the workplace.

In the introduction, you should basically summarize why you are contacting them and how you hope to have the issue resolved. Get straight to the point and factual.

You will be providing evidence and documentation later to support your claim and to back up what you are claiming happened. You should also address the letter to the proper person.

Do your research or make some calls to come up with the name, such as the supervisor of HR or an executive with the company.

Body

The body of the letter will include the specifics and your supporting evidence. You will need to detail what happened.

As an example, you interviewed for a supervisory role on May 18th with the personnel manager, you were told that although you were experienced and had the skills, you were not being given the promotion because the men would not feel comfortable answering to a woman.

Make note of any evidence or documentation that you have supporting your claim.

For example, you have statements from witnesses, and you have memos, texts, or emails that refer to your gender.

Also, include details about your experience and any training you have had that qualify you for the role.

You should also detail any past instances that could have been leading up to this, such as discriminatory gender-based remarks.

Conclusion

You will now bring your letter to a close. You will want to thank the person or the specific office for their time and attention to the matter.

Let them know you will be waiting for a response. You can also indicate that if you do not have a response in a set amount of days you will be following up or taking additional action against them.

What Is an Example of a Gender Discrimination Sample Letter?

Dear Human Resources Manager:

I am employed as a housekeeper within your company at the River Street location in Savannah, Georgia. I am writing you to make a formal complaint for gender discrimination that I have been subjected to at the workplace.

I am requesting that you investigate these allegations and work to resolve it promptly. I

have been harassed by my supervisor, Jane Smith. The following incidents are what I believe constitutes gender discrimination.

On May 12, I was at work and I was approached by Ms. Smith and the comment was made asking did I not feel uncomfortable being the only male working in the housekeeping department.
On June 1, a job was posted for a supervisor’s role. I asked for an application. Ms. Smith commented that it was a woman’s job and hesitated in giving me the paperwork.
On June 4, I returned the paperwork to apply for the job and was asked if I was sure I wanted to interview for the job since I am a man.
On June 15, I interviewed for the job. I was the most experienced and qualified applicant as you can see by my supporting evidence. Ms. Smith suggested I apply for a role in another department. The job was then given to a female applicant who only had one year of experience in housekeeping.

I would appreciate you giving this situation your utmost attention. I hope to schedule an appointment with you so we can discuss this matter in person and decide how it should be addressed. I am looking forward to your prompt response. Thank you.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

What Are Some Gender Discrimination Examples?

Considered one of the most significant civil rights laws ever enacted by the United States Congress, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 forbids discrimination based on factors that include race, religion, and national origin. Title VII also makes it illegal for employers to discriminate based on gender. Many states have passed legislation that provides additional protections for employees facing discrimination in the workplace.

One of the most common forms of gender discrimination concerns sexual harassment. By singling out a member of a protected gender for sexual harassment, the worker committing the act of sexual harassment also has violated the anti-discrimination clauses written into Title VII.

Another common form of gender discrimination regards unequal pay. This especially applies to the disparity in compensation between a male employee and a female employee. Unequal pay applies to cases in which both a male and female worker perform the same job responsibilities, but the male receives higher pay for doing the same work. The Equal Pay Act of 1963 also protects women from receiving lower wages than their male counterparts.

Although women have made progress advancing in corporations, there remains a huge obstacle at the upper management level. Regardless of where a woman sits on the company ladder, she is entitled to the same consideration for a promotion as a similarly qualified male worker.

The key to proving gender discrimination involves submitting persuasive physical evidence, such as copies of positive performance reviews and salary information regarding different positions in the organization. Your employment lawyer helps you gather and organize the evidence you need to submit a convincing gender discrimination claim and file a civil lawsuit that seeks monetary damages.

How Can I Get Help With My Gender Discrimination Claim?

If you have suffered gender discrimination in the workplace, you should speak with an employment law attorney who handles such claims in your area. You do have limited time to pursue a claim, so complete the Free Case Evaluation Form today.