Gender Equality in the Workplace

I remember when I first saw the movie "9 to 5" lo those many years ago and recall the scenes where Lily Tomlin got ticked off at the fact that she was required to get coffee for her boss Dabney Coleman whenever the secretary, Dolly Parton, was running some errand. I remember thinking that Coleman's character was a jerk for expecting someone else to get him a cup of coffee simply because he was a group manager. It was a clear illustration of how men were slow to pick up on the fact that women would no longer play 'traditional' subservient roles in the workplace simply due to their gender or historical 'duties' but that they should be considered equals (and some would argue superiors). Now I'm not going to delve into that can of worms but I bring this up in light of a court case going before a federal judge soon.

In Philadelphia, birthplace of some of our nation's most important historical documents and seat of early governmental power, it should come as no surprise that a case seeking to put an end to 'gender discrimintation' should come to pass. Office temp and receptionist Tamara Klopfenstein was taken on by a company to do data entry and serve as a receptionist and assistant. Part of the duties that her bosses outlined to her included getting two of the bosses coffee every day at 3PM. Klopfenstein refused as she felt it was discriminatory and constituted harassment due to her being a woman therefore being 'expected' to do the work. Apparently she found it so demeaning and beneath her station that she fired off an e-mail to her boss which explained, "I (Klopfenstein) don't expect to serve and wait on you by making and serving you coffee every day." Nine minutes later Klopfenstein found herself fired.

Now I can understand both sides of the arguement here in that there are some office 'policies' which have changed over the years and not everyone feels that that should be the case. Take for example office dress codes. I have worked for companies where suit and ties were required every day regardless of whether everyone else was wearing shorts and flip-flops. Contrast that with times I've worked with hardcore scientists types who spend more time with their computers than actual people so dress codes be damned, they're going to be comfortable. I think back to the images from NASA from decades past where all scientists would at least have a shirt and tie (if not suit) when they sat for hours and hours in mission control or while doing work. Now looking at some of the hallowed halls of NASA, you wonder if you're on a college campus or in an office.

Similarly, I think it's wrong if someone assumes that just because they're a man and their receptionist is a woman that automatically the subserviant nature of the boss / secretary relationship implies that he will be waited on hand and foot. If it's an occasional thing, okay, perhaps it's not such a bad thing. Even if it's a regular duty, if the receptionist (be it a man or a woman) knows that this is part of the duty then there is no grounds (ha! coffee pun intended) for complaint. Now I don't know the exact attitude of the former bosses of Ms. Klopfenstein but apparently she felt strongly enough to come out and make a case of discrimination and harassment. The district judge who looked at the case dismissed it on the grounds that there was no clear evidence of either discrimination or harassment. But due to Klopfenstein's appeal it is moving up to federal court.

While I certainly think that the issue is an important one, from what has been released to the media and news networks regarding this case makes it very hard to believe that Klopfenstein was purposely put into a discriminatory environment or that this 'duty' was placed on her after the fact. If you don't like getting coffee for someone then don't take a position which could require you to do it. I myself have gotten coffee for my boss when she was stuck on the phone during a teleconference, it wasn't my duty but on occasion I did it. Had I been told that this was also a requirement of my position then perhaps I would have thought twice about it or wondered whether this was something I wanted to do. If I had that big a problem with it then I would have opted out. Still, if Klopfenstein had that big a problem with the act of getting coffee, she could have met with her bosses in person and discussed it rather than being a bit impersonal and sending off an e-mail. Face to face is always more effective and less harsh (in most respects) than over e-mail.