The Civil Rights Act of 1963 and the Equal Pay Act prohibit employers in Illinois 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 criteria. They also must ensure that working environments are not hostile or biased towards a particular gender, and that it is not of an overtly sexual atmosphere.

What Must be Proven in a Discrimination Claim?

The Equal Pay Act allows discrimination to be proven if it can be shown that both men and women work for the same employer doing the same tasks, and yet are paid differently. Also, a claim may prevail if an employer in Harrisburg hires only one gender, promotes workers because of their gender, or retaliates against those seeking relief for this 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 Harrisburg might be held liable for the sexual harassment, even when it was a co-worker who actually engaged in the conduct.

An Illinois employer may also be liable for harassment if they allow conduct to lead to an environment that is overly sexual. Gender discrimination is usually 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.