The Civil Rights Act of 1963 and the Equal Pay Act prohibit employers in California against discriminating on the basis of gender. Therefore, gender may not be the basis for any employer decisions regarding pay, hiring policies, or promotion policies. They are also required to make sure that the working environment is neither hostile to a certain gender nor 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 nonetheless paid differently. Employers in Los Angeles may 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. An employer in Los Angeles might be liable for such conduct, even when it is simply other co-workers that have engaged in harassment.
California employers who allow conduct to produce an overly sexual work atmosphere may also be held liable for sexual harassment. It is normally somewhat hard to prove gender discrimination if you don't have an attorney, because certain aspects such as proving intent can be complex. Pursuing a claim also involves following procedures, many of which can be detailed.