The Civil Rights Act of 1963 and the Equal Pay Act prohibit employers in Illinois against discriminating on the basis of gender. As such, employers can 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?

The Equal Pay Act allows discrimination to be shown 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 Belvidere 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. Employers in Belvidere may also be liable for the behavior, even when the conduct was done by an employee's co-worker.

An Illinois employer can also be liable for harassment if they allow conduct to lead to an environment that is overly sexual. Without a lawyer, it can be difficult to prove gender discrimination because the details in proving intent are often complicated. Furthermore, there can be specific procedures that must be closely followed in pursuing a claim.