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Mar 4, 2024 · The number of Black women in the workforce is in danger of shrinking because of a lack of support and opportunities, according to advocates. Black women comprise 7.4% of the U.S. population but ...
Once fired, black workers return to the pool of unemployed—where they will once again have a difficult time finding work, prompting their next employer to be wary as well.
- Overview
- "I don't have to be fake"
Tennessee mom Ashley Brooks enjoys working in tech support at a Nashville firm, in large part because the job has been remote since the coronavirus pandemic erupted. But with her employer likely to summon employees back to the office in 2022, she is nervous: Like many Black Americans, Brooks finds the thought of returning to work discomfiting.
Indeed, while polls suggest some employees are content to be back at their desks, Black workers told CBS MoneyWatch that being in a predominantly White workplaces often exacts an emotional toll. Working from home offers a measure of inner peace and even helps them do their jobs better, they said.
"It definitely feels more comfortable at home," said Brooks, who was commuting to work before COVID-19 struck last year. "I don't have to worry so much about my hair and the way I dress — you don't have to answer dumb questions about your hair."
Such sentiments are common among people of color, including in corporate America. For decades, Black and Hispanic employees have reported feeling marginalized at work and being relegated to lower-paying roles even when their credentials qualify them for a higher-level position.
Black women, in particular, say a typical workday often requires looking past microaggressions from co-workers, ignoring flippant comments about their natural hairstyles or suppressing emotions lest they be labeled an "angry black woman."
An October survey of more than 10,000 workers from Future Forum, a research group focused on workplace issues, found that 66% of Black respondents want a flexible schedule, compared to 59% of White employees. The survey concluded that Black workers are happier in their jobs, and have a more favorable view of their employer, when working remotely.
Tina Thomas, a computer network engineer who works from home in Rockland County, New York, said remote work insulates her from being micromanaged. Perhaps more important, it also avoids having to engage in what social scientists have termed racial "code-switching" — when people of color shift their speech, appearance, behavior and other characteristics at work to make non-Black colleagues feel more comfortable.
Harvard University researchers have found that Black employees often view code-switching as necessary for career advancement, but that the effort is psychologically draining.
- khristopher.brooks@paramount.com
- 9 min
Aug 8, 2023 · Remote work gave them a reprieve from racism. They don’t want to go back. As LeRon Barton weighed his options, he realized what he had to do. If he took a pay cut of $5,000, he could have a ...
- samantha.masunaga@latimes.com
- Staff Writer
Oct 16, 2023 · The proportion who are middle-income ($52,000 to $156,000 a year) has risen by one point, to 47 percent. The proportion who are high-income (more than $156,000 a year) has risen the most ...
- Elijah Anderson
May 12, 2022 · Ivan Gener/Stocksy. Summary. A recent study of women of color who work in the tech industry offers insight into why many don’t want to return to the office. Their reasons range from acts of ...
Jun 19, 2020 · Living at the intersection of racism and sexism is far from easy. We are discriminated against for being Black and for being women, and we exist in both identities at all times. The story of Black women at work and in life is one of resilience. Despite the challenges and barriers in our way, we have accomplished so much and continue to make ...
