North Carolina employers must abide by the Civil Rights Act of 1963 and the Equal Pay Act, both of which prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender. Therefore, employers may not take sex into account when they determine pay, hire new workers, or promote within the company. 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?

Discrimination can be proven under the Equal Pay act if both men and women do the same type of work for the same employer but are nonetheless paid in different amounts. Furthermore, a claim may succeed if an employer in Polk County hires only one gender, promotes workers because of their gender, or retaliates against those seeking relief for this 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 Polk County can also possibly be held liable for inappropriate behavior that was conducted by an employee's co-worker.

If the employer permits conduct to create an overly sexual work environment, they may be held liable for sexual harassment in North Carolina. Without a lawyer, it can be difficult to prove gender discrimination because the details in proving intent are often complicated. Furthermore, there can be specific procedures that must be closely followed in pursuing a claim.