When the #MeToo movement began two years ago, it was with the hope things would change for those victims of workplace sexual harassment and other potential crimes.  And while things have gotten better, there is still room for improvement.  Also making HR news headlines, mothers are losing more money to fathers and DISH Network will pay more than a million dollars for an alleged discriminatory application process.

HR News

Workplace Issues Still Underreported Two Years After #MeToo Movement Began

A new survey out marking two years since the #MeToo movement began shows workplace issues are still being underreported.  HR Acuity conducted the survey.  According to a press release, the technology platform company “surveyed more than 1,300 workers across a variety of companies, industries, age groups and tenures to gain insight into how employees handled inappropriate workplace behavior and harassment.”  More than 56 percent of those workers say they saw or even experienced some form of inappropriate, illegal or unethical behavior, but it went unreported.  The reasons for not reporting it ranged from retaliation fears and/or the possibility of not be taken seriously.

Want to know how HR processes Sexual Harassment claims?  Read A Guide for HR and Sexual Harassment

Other findings include:

• Both males and females experience illegal or unethical behavior almost equally. However, “issues reported by men are 26 percent more likely to be investigated.”
• Trust in HR increases when reported issues are investigated.
• Confidence in the employer went up and turnover rate reduced when reporting, investigation and resolution occured.

Women See Earnings Drop After Child is Born

Women are already making less than men in the United States, but the pay gap worsens for women when they become mothers.  New Census data indicates moms early approximately 71 cents to every father’s $1.  Women who aren’t mothers make 80 cents to every man’s $1.  To put it in context, mothers stand to lose about $16,000 a year as a result.  According to CNBC, there are several factors at play including a so-called motherhood penalty.  This is when women focus more on being mothers and as a result, allow their jobs to go by the wayside.

The article goes on to suggest “gender equality advocates believe public policies like paid parental leave and public child care could help relieve some of the negative impact that motherhood has on women’s earnings, but new research finds that women’s earnings are still negatively impacted by having kids in countries where these policies exist.”

DISH Network to pay $1.25 Million in Inaccessible Job Application Claim

DISH Network says it will pay $1.25 million to settle a claim that it maintained an inaccessible job application process.  That’s according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).  In the original claim, the victim said they were “denied an opportunity for employment at DISH due to an alleged discriminatory online application process.”  In addition to the settlement, the company says it will prominently display a statement portraying the company’s willingness to provide reasonable accommodations to perspective employees.  It will also create a position for a compliance officer with the purpose of providing the appropriate training and to monitor the application process to ensure it follows ADA guidelines.

NEXT:  What Diversity Looks Like in the Workplace

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