Sexual discrimination claims are prevalent in many industries throughout Ohio and the rest of the U.S. However, new research is showing the possibility of such discrimination in a field that many wouldn’t expect, health care. In particular, female physicians raising children believe they are treated differently than their colleagues because they have children.
A 2017 survey published in a leading medical journal has shed some light on the subject. The research was conducted by use of an anonymous survey of nearly 6,000 U.S. doctors through social media. Instances of alleged sexual discrimination were gleaned from nearly 1,000 comments from physicians who are also mothers.
More than a third of mothers claimed different treatment in their jobs, according to the survey. In most cases, however, the discrimination is not over. For example, some have noted that they are not approached for job-related improvement opportunities. They felt that being passed over for these activities damaged their advancement opportunities as well as their ability to provide the highest quality care for their patients. Some female physicians have even used the term ‘blackballed” when it comes to opportunities for advancement.
In other cases, female doctors are aware of situations where medical orders are slighted by medical support staff. In one case, a female doctor aboard an airplane was not permitted to provide medical attention to an ill passenger because airline personnel did not believe she was a doctor.
Any type of discrimination, whether sexual, racial, religious or through national origin, may have a negative effect on an employee’s career. For this reason, there are both federal and state laws to protect workers from such acts. But not every instance of unequal treatment constitutes legal discrimination. For those experiencing unfair treatment, it may be wise to arrange for a consultation with an experienced employment law attorney.