Gender discrimination in the workplace continues to be an issue in Taiwan, especially in office jobs, a workplace gender equality poll released yesterday by online job bank yes123 found.
The women-only survey found that 67 percent of respondents considered themselves financially independent, reporting an average monthly income of NT$33,944, while those who did not reported an average monthly income of NT$27,237.
More than half, or 58.3 percent, of respondents said that they have experienced gender discrimination at work, including different wages than men for the same work and an uneven rate of promotions.
Photo: Lee Ya-wen, Taipei Times
About 46 percent of respondents said that women comprise fewer than 10 percent of management positions.
Based on the responses of those polled who were already managers, the average time for promotion was 5.6 years, the survey found.
Gender discrimination while job-seeking was reported by 60.1 percent of respondents, who cited having their looks or attire criticized, with plans for marriage or having children being the most frequently asked questions.
A total of 29.9 percent of respondents have been the subjects of verbal sexual harassment and 16.6 percent have been victims of physical sexual harassment, while 18.8 percent have suffered both, the poll found.
One respondent said that she had been repeatedly sexually harassed at work, as well as asked about her private life and plans for marriage.
There is only so much that people can do to protect themselves, as such questions are not based on job performance, she said.
Managers continue to operate under gender-based assumptions and remain inclined to offer male employees opportunities for overseas positions or business trips, yes123 spokesman Yang Tsung-pin (楊宗斌) said.
This causes female employees to miss out on opportunities to show their capabilities, as well as for promotion or raises, he said.
There is no question as to capability — women simply lack the opportunities to demonstrate this fact, Yang said, adding that lower wages also makes it hard for companies to retain women.
The poll, conducted from Feb. 14 to Feb. 26, targeted employed women aged 20 and older.
It received 1,224 valid responses: 738 from unmarried respondents and 486 who were married. The poll has a 95 percent confidence level, with a margin of error of 2.8 percent.
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