Employers in Louisiana are prohibited from discriminating against employees on the basis of gender under the Civil Rights Act of 1963 and the Equal Pay Act. Accordingly, gender may not be the basis for any employer decisions regarding pay, hiring policies, or 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. Employers in Oakdale 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?

Physical or verbal acts of a sexual nature that are unwelcome to the victim are considered to be sexual harassment. An Oakdale employer could be held liable for the unwelcome conduct, even if it was an employee's co-worker who engaged in the sexual harassment.

A Louisiana employer could also be liable for harassment if they allow conduct to lead to an environment that is overly sexual. Gender discrimination is normally 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.