Many professionals begin their careers with dreams of advancement. They want to be a manager or an executive eventually. They start in an entry-level position and may work their way up within the hierarchy of an organization. Some people even jump from company to company in pursuit of advancement opportunities.
Under the law, employers should consider factors including the worker’s seniority, education and experience, as well as their job performance, when deciding who to promote to an executive position. Unfortunately, the people who make those decisions within a company may let their personal biases affect how they operate the company.
They may violate the rights of workers by engaging in promotion discrimination. Some workers find that they move up initially but then all of their progress stalls out at a certain point. People refer to this inability to continue developing a career as a glass ceiling.
Who is at particular risk of facing unseen opposition to their career development?
Female professionals
Women have historically struggled to gain a foothold in the upper echelons of corporate America. They may be able to make it to the top of middle management, but then opportunities to dry up with little explanation.
In many cases, factors ranging from concerns about maturity leave to the appearance of a female professional may subtly influence their chances of advancing. Historically, the term what ceiling has referred specifically to scenarios where women cannot advance their careers past a certain point despite their continued efforts.
Employees of different races
Depending on who owns and operates the business, workers from a variety of different races, cultures and religions may not receive the consideration that they deserve. While race, religion, color and national origin are all protected characteristics, workers from many backgrounds, including Black Americans, may find that they struggle to move into executive positions despite their credentials.
Even efforts at networking and continued education may not be enough to help workers break through that glass ceiling. In some cases, particularly when a company has repeatedly passed the same worker over for advancement opportunities, it might be beneficial to consider taking legal action.
A discrimination lawsuit brought on the basis of promotion discrimination could help workers hold their employers accountable and change the corporate culture at their companies. Documenting the circumstances surrounding denied promotion requests can help validate the claim that a company considers characteristics that should not influence employment decisions.