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What Should I Do If I Experience <br />Sex Discrimination at Work? <br />1. Put it in writing. Always put everything in writing so you have a record <br />and a time line. <br />2. Do your homework. For more information on your rights, call the U.S. <br />Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) hotline at <br />800.669.4000. <br />3. Seek help. Talk with your supervisor or human resources representative <br />at work to learn about the grievance procedure. <br />4. Avoid loose lips. While the desire to talk about your case is understand- <br />able, the threat of countersuits for defamation is real. <br />5. Get legal advice. Talk to a lawyer who has specific experience with sex <br />discrimination in the workplace. For a referral in your state, contact your <br />local bar association. <br />6. Act quickly. There is a statute of limitations on filing complaints with the <br />EEOC. <br />7. Watch your nickels and dimes. Talk to a lawyer or an accountant about <br />the financial burdens of a lawsuit. <br />8. Visit your doctor—yes, your doctor. You may experience a physical and <br />emotional toll that should be addressed and documented. <br />9. Prepare for the long haul. Filing a discrimination lawsuit is a long process, <br />but others have succeeded in fighting discrimination, and you can too. <br />10. Find a support network. AAUW branches can help support you. Find a <br />branch near you at wwwaauw.org. <br />2 37 <br />28 <br />men were living in poverty (Proctor et al., 2016). Eliminating the gender pay <br />gap by increasing women's levels of pay to those of their male counterparts <br />could cut the poverty rate for working women in half (Hartmann et al., <br />2014). <br />Even after women leave the workforce, the pay gap follows them. Because <br />women typically are paid less than men during working years, when women <br />retire they receive less income from Social Security, pensions, and other <br />sources than do retired men (Fischer & Hayes, 2013). Other benefits such <br />as disability and life insurance are also smaller for women, because these <br />benefits usually are based on earnings. <br />The impact of the pay gap has also deepened in recent years as a result of <br />changes in family structure. Between 1967 and 2012, the proportion of <br />mothers bringing home at least a quarter of the family's earnings rose from <br />less than a third (28 percent) to nearly two-thirds (63 percent). Today, 40 <br />percent of mothers with children under the age of 18 are their families' <br />primary or sole breadwinners (Glynn, 2014). As families increasingly rely on <br />women's wages to make ends meet, the gender pay gap directly affects men <br />and children as well. <br />This guide provides key facts about the gender pay gap in the United States, <br />along with explanations and resources. Information is organized around <br />five common questions: <br />1. What is the pay gap? <br />2. How does the pay gap affect women of different demographics? <br />3. What causes the pay gap? <br />4. How can I make a difference? <br />5. What should I do if I experience sex discrimination at work? <br />2-1/ <br />5 <br />