Two Wall Street Journal reporters coined the phrase "glass ceiling" in 1986 to describe the invisible barrier that blocks women from advancing to senior positions in organizations, particularly businesses. In the years since 1986, the metaphor of the glass ceiling has also been applied to impediments to minority advancement. Despite the protections extended by the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1991, and the positive effects of affirmative action programs, the glass ceiling still exists for women and minorities. Discrimination in the workplace is one of many issues that seem to call for increased civil rights protections. "The glass ceiling is not only a setback that affects two-thirds of the population, but a serious economic problem that takes a huge financial toll on American business," according to Robert B. Reich, secretary of labor in 1991 and chair of the Glass Ceiling Commission.

The Glass Ceiling Commission...