Employers in Massachusetts are banned from discriminating against employees on the basis of gender under the Civil Rights Act of 1963 and the Equal Pay Act. Therefore, gender may not be the basis for any employer decisions regarding pay, hiring policies, or promotion policies. They must also make sure that working environments will not be hostile towards a particular gender and that the work atmosphere is not overly 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 Middlesex County hire only one particular gender, issues promotions based on gender, or retaliates against persons who seek relief for employer misconduct.

When is Sexual Harassment Prohibited?

Physical or verbal acts of a sexual nature that are unwelcome to the victim are regarded to be sexual harassment. An employer in Middlesex County might be liable for such conduct, even when it is simply other co-workers that have engaged in harassment.

If the employer permits conduct to create an overly sexual work environment, they may be held liable for sexual harassment in Massachusetts. It can be hard to prove gender discrimination without first obtaining a lawyer, since specifics such as proving intent can often be complicated. There might also be procedures that must be followed in detail when one pursues a claim.