Employers in Michigan are prohibited from discriminating against employees on the basis of gender under the Civil Rights Act of 1963 and the Equal Pay Act. Consequently employers cannot use sex or gender as a basis for determinations regarding wages, hiring procedures, or promotion policies. They must also make sure that working environments will not be hostile towards a certain 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 nevertheless paid differently. A discrimination claim may also succeed when employers in Negaunee 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 Negaunee may be liable for such conduct, even when it is simply other co-workers that have engaged in harassment.

Michigan 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 difficult to prove without an attorney. The procedures for filing can also be complex.