Employers in Mississippi 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 are also required to ensure that working conditions are not hostile toward any one gender and that the environment is not overtly sexual.

What Must be Proven in a Discrimination Claim?

Discrimination happens according to the Equal Pay Act if both men and women are working in the same job and performing the same tasks, yet receive different wages. Employers in Forest 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. An employer in Forest might be liable for such conduct, even when it is simply other co-workers that have engaged in harassment.

A Mississippi employer might also be liable for harassment if they allow conduct to lead to an environment that is overly sexual. Without a lawyer, it can be difficult to prove gender discrimination because the details in proving intent are often complicated. Also, there can be specific procedures that must be closely followed in pursuing a claim.