Proving gender discrimination can be difficult because direct evidence of bias is rare. Those experiencing gender discrimination in the workplace can create a record by taking notes, engaging witnesses, and preserving documents and communications.
Report discrimination to local government Report discrimination to a local Fair Employment Practices Agency (FEPA). If the discrimination breaks both a state and federal law, the FEPA will also send your complaint to the EEOC. Use the EEOC's directory of field offices to find the FEPA near you.
After the complaint is filed, it will be reviewed and preliminary information will be gathered to determine whether the Labor Commissioner has jurisdiction over the issues raised. If it is determined that the Labor Commissioner has jurisdiction, the complaint will be accepted for investigation.
For discrimination complaints related to housing, employment, or business establishments, you may contact the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) at 800-884-1684 (voice), 800-700-2320 (TTY). You may also visit the DFEH page for additional information.
Include the following in your complaint letter: Your name, address and telephone number. The name, address, and telephone number of your attorney or authorized representative, if you are represented. The basis of your complaint. The date(s) that the incident(s) you are reporting as discrimination occurred.
You should have evidence and proof that you in fact complained and reported the discriminatory conduct. The best way to do this is to put it in writing and have some type of confirmation that you submitted it. Employees who merely “call” the HR rep and have a verbal conversation alone are at a great disadvantage.
In many cases, exercising your basic rights – such as the right to file a complaint against your manager with HR – can lead to retaliation; specifically, filing complaints with HR about your manager could result in termination.
Bottom line: Yes, you should report harassment or discrimination internally to your company's HR department. But that doesn't mean you should blindly trust the HR department. Understand that they serve two masters and protect yourself ingly.
For discrimination complaints related to housing, employment, or business establishments, you may contact the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) at 800-884-1684 (voice), 800-700-2320 (TTY). You may also visit the DFEH page for additional information.
Keep a Written Record: The first step in documenting employment discrimination is to keep a written record of every incident that occurs. Your records should include dates, times, locations, who was involved, who witnessed it, and details of what exactly happened.