On the issue of wage discrimination against women, the Supreme Court gave us a major setback.  And it got loads of publicity.

But the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has given us a little baby step forward, even if it was more on the QT.  The EEOC, after a recent public meeting where it heard comments on work/family balance and the discrimination faced by caregivers, mostly mothers, issued guidelines about how the current laws could be applied if employers discriminate against working parents.

You could have knocked me over with the proverbial feather when I came across this one.  According to the fact sheet issued about why this was on the government’s radar:

“Changing workplace demographics, including women’s increased participation in the labor force, have created the potential for greater discrimination against working parents and others with caregiving responsibilities.”

Some scenarios that could prompt an EEOC claim?

 Treating fathers differently than mothers, changing a new mother’s job duties on the assumption she will be less committed to her work because of her motherhood status, or assuming that a new mother will not want to work overtime hours, to name a few.

Any of these examples sound familiar?

I don’t harbor any illusions that the courts, especially as conservative as they are today, will make a mad dash to issue opinions in pending cases that are going to turn our workplaces on their ears.

But it’s nice to know there are at least some government officials willing to acknowledge that this whole discussion about women “opting out” isn’t just about us.  Some of the responsibility is on other shoulders, as well.