Employers in Maryland 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 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?
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. Furthermore, a claim may prevail if an employer in Dundalk 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. An employer in Dundalk could also potentially be held liable for inappropriate behavior that was conducted by an employee's co-worker.
Maryland employers who allow conduct to produce an overly sexual work atmosphere might also be held liable for sexual harassment. 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.