ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the nature and impact of subjective discrimination in the federal government. There has been little research on how women and people of color perceive their opportunities in the federal government, but that which has been done suggests that subjective discrimination is a reality. Subjective discrimination is defined as the perception that a work-irrelevant criterion—in this case gender or race/ethnicity—affects how one is evaluated or treated on the job. The chapter first examines subjective discrimination as experienced by female federal employees. It examines the effect of personal and group subjective discrimination on career decisions of federally employed women. The chapter suggests that although the assessment of barriers faced by women and people of color to their inclusion and advancement in the government is important, it is incomplete. It shows that a substantial number of women and people of color in the government do perceive their opportunities to be limited.
