Glass Ceiling For years, women’s groups have alleged that women in workplaces encounter a glass ceiling, which refers to discriminatory practices that have prevented women and other protected-class members from advancing to executive-level jobs. Women in the United States are making some progress in getting senior-level, managerial, or professional jobs. Nevertheless, women hold only 12% of the highest-ranking executive management jobs in Fortune 500 companies. By comparison, women hold much lower percentages of the same kinds of jobs in France, Germany, Brazil, and many other countries.