Employers in Missouri are banned from discriminating against employees on the basis of gender under the Civil Rights Act of 1963 and the Equal Pay Act. As such, employers can not use make any determinations based on gender in any areas such as wage amounts, hiring, and promotion criteria. They also must ensure that working environments are not hostile or biased towards a certain gender, and that it is not of an overtly sexual atmosphere.

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. Employers in Cameron will 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 regarded to be sexual harassment. A Cameron employer might be held liable for the unwelcome conduct, even if it was an employee's co-worker who engaged in the sexual harassment.

A Missouri employer might also be liable for harassment if they allow conduct to lead to an environment that is overly sexual. Gender discrimination is usually 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.