Employers in Louisiana are banned from discriminating against employees on the basis of gender under the Civil Rights Act of 1963 and the Equal Pay Act. Therefore, gender may not be the basis for any employer decisions regarding pay, hiring policies, or promotion criteria. They are also required to ensure that working conditions are not hostile toward any one gender and that the environment is not overtly sexual.

What Must be Proven in a Discrimination Claim?

Under the Equal Pay act, discrimination can be proven if men and women both work in the same place, do the same job, but are still paid differently. Employers in Monroe can also be held liable in a discrimination claim if their hiring and promotion policies favor one gender, or if the they take retaliatory action against a worker who files a complaint against their employer.

When is Sexual Harassment Prohibited?

Sexual harassment consists of all unwanted conduct of a sexual nature directed towards the victim, and includes both physical and verbal acts. Employers in Monroe may also be liable for the behavior, even when the conduct was done by an employee's co-worker.

Louisiana employers might also be liable for permitting conduct to lead to a work environment that is overly sexual. The specific details for proving intent to discrimination can be complicated, and so gender discrimination might be challenging to prove without an attorney. The procedures for filing can also be complex.