The Civil Rights Act of 1963 and the Equal Pay Act prohibit employers in Florida 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 must also make sure that working environments will not be hostile towards a specific gender and that the work atmosphere is not overly 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. A discrimination claim may also succeed when employers in Belleair hire only one specific gender, issues promotions based on gender, or retaliates against persons who seek relief for employer misconduct.

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 Belleair might also be liable for the behavior, even when the conduct was done by an employee's co-worker.

Florida employers can also be held liable for sexual harassment if it allows conduct that leads to an overly sexual work environment. 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.