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 policies. They are also required to ensure that working conditions are not hostile toward any one gender and that the atmosphere is not 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. A discrimination claim may also succeed when employers in Marengo 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 encompasses any unwelcome or unwanted conduct of a sexual nature that is directed at the victim, whether it is physical or verbal. An employer in Marengo may be liable for such conduct, even when it is simply other co-workers that have engaged in harassment.

Illinois employers may also be liable for allowing conduct to lead to a work environment that is overly sexual. 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.