The Civil Rights Act of 1963 and the Equal Pay Act prohibit employers in California from discriminating on the basis of gender. Accordingly, gender may not be the basis for any employer decisions regarding pay, hiring policies, or promotion criteria. They are also required to make sure that the working environment is neither hostile to a particular 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 still paid differently. Employers in Martinez 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 any unwanted conduct of a sexual nature directed towards the victim, and includes both physical and verbal acts. Employers in Martinez might also be liable for the behavior, even when the conduct was done by an employee's co-worker.

A California employer may also be liable for harassment if they allow conduct to lead to an environment that is overly sexual. Gender discrimination is typically difficult to prove without a lawyer because the specifics of proving intent can be complicated. There are also detailed procedures that must be followed when pursuing a claim.