What Type of Conduct is Prohibited in Oregon?
In Oregon, discrimination by employers that is based on gender is prohibited by the Civil Rights Act of 1963 and the Equal Pay Act. Accordingly, employers may not take sex into account when they determine pay, hire new workers, or promote within the company. They are also required to make sure that the working environment is neither hostile to a specific gender nor overtly sexual.
What Must be Proven in a Discrimination Claim?
The Equal Pay Act allows discrimination to be proven if it can be shown that both men and women work for the same employer doing the same tasks, and yet are paid differently. Employers in Tigard will 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?
Any unwelcome sexual behavior directed at the victim, including physical or verbal acts, is considered to be sexual harassment. An employer in Tigard may be liable for such conduct, even when it is simply other co-workers that have engaged in harassment.
If the employer allows conduct to create an overly sexual work environment, they might be held liable for sexual harassment in Oregon. Without a lawyer, it can be difficult to prove gender discrimination because the details in proving intent are often complicated. Also, there can be specific procedures that must be closely followed in pursuing a claim.
