The Civil Rights Act of 1963 and the Equal Pay Act prohibit employers in Iowa from discriminating on the basis of gender. As such, employers may not use make any determinations based on gender in any areas such as wage amounts, hiring, and 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. Discrimination claims in Spencer can be proven where the employer only hires one gender, promotes employees on the basis of gender, or acts in retaliation against a worker who has complained of 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 Spencer might be held liable for the sexual harassment, even when it was a co-worker who really engaged in the conduct.

Iowa employers who allow conduct to produce an overly sexual work atmosphere might also be held liable for sexual harassment. The specific details for proving intent to discrimination can be complicated, and so gender discrimination might be hard to prove without an attorney. The procedures for filing can also be complex.