California's Silicon Valley region is home to several of the most successful and profitable tech companies in the world. While the region and its many millionaires are used to being covered in the news, more recently the region has received attention for very different reasons as concerns about widespread sexual discrimination have surfaced.
Depression: ADA protections and employment discrimination
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, during 2012, nearly seven percent of U.S. adults reported suffering "at least one major depressive episode in the past year." For individuals who struggle with depression; feelings of overwhelming sadness and hopelessness may persist for weeks, months or even years. These types of negative feelings adversely impact sufferers in numerous ways and can be destructive to and impede personal and professional relationships and aspirations.
Why does sexual discrimination in the workplace persist?
Many Californians have likely heard statistics related to the fact that, on average, female U.S. employees earn 78 cents for every dollar earned by a man. According to information from the American Association of University Women (AAUW), this disparity in wages is even more pronounced for women of minority groups with Hispanic women earning only "54 percent of white men's earnings." Additionally, the wage gap appears to widen with age with working women age 35 and older earning less than their younger counterparts when compared against the salaries of men.
California agriculture workers frequent victims of wage theft
With an estimated $27 billion generated annually, there’s no doubt that the agriculture industry plays a significant role in California's state economy. From cattle ranches to citrus fields, with more than 80,000 ranches and farms located throughout the state, the industry employs some 900,000 workers who tend to livestock and plant and harvest crops.
