Discrimination in Labor

Research Paper # 100411

Canadian Studies > Gender, Race, Class issues
Canadian Studies > Labor Studies
Gender and Sexuality

This paper discusses the issue of discrimination against women in the Canadian labor market.

1,545 words () | 10 sources | MLA | 2007 United States

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer notes that some people today might think that women are no longer discriminated against in the workplace. After all, the writer points out that there is a Bill of Rights that prohibits discrimination against women in all arenas, including the workplace. However, this essay argues that there is still discrimination against women in the workplace. The writer explains that this is true with regard to the types of jobs women are able to get, as well as the wages they are able to earn, working conditions and wrongful dismissal compensation, among other aspects. The writer concludes that this is true despite a plethora of legislature and court rulings that have attempted to correct the situation.

From the Paper:

"Moreover, with regard to the crucial matters of finding a good job and earning decent wages, the evidence clearly shows that women are still disadvantaged relative to men. The fact that there is still a substantial wage gap is demonstrated by the findings of a comprehensive Workplace and Employee Survey (WES) which was conducted in 1999. The WES clearly and indisputably showed that women were still earning much less than men. Overall, women were paid 80c for every $1 paid to men. Women's average hourly rate was $17.14, while for men it was $21.54. This survey was careful to make the kind of statistical errors that had previously skewed results. For example, it based the survey on hourly wages, and so was able to avoid false differences that were really caused by the fact that some women work fewer hours per years."

Sample of Sources Used:

Banting, Keith, Hoberg, George and Simeon, Richard. Degrees of freedom: Canada and the United States in a changing world. Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press, 1997.
Canadian Human Rights Commission. "Human Rights in Canada: A Historical Perspective." Retrieved from web site: http://www.chrc-ccdp.ca/en/browseSubjects/womenRights.asp
Department of Justice Canada. "Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms." 1982. Retrieved from web site: http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/charter/.
L'Heureux-Dube, Claire. "Changing Face of Equality: The Indirect Effects of Section 15 Of The Charter." Canadian Woman Studies 19.1-2 (1999): 30-6.
McLean, Denise. Creating a Workplace that Attracts, Retains and Promotes Women. Toronto: Queen's Printer for Ontario, 2003.