New York 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. Consequently employers cannot use sex or gender as a basis for determinations regarding wages, hiring procedures, or promotion policies. They are also required to make sure that the working environment is neither hostile to a particular gender nor overtly 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 still paid differently. Discrimination claims in Freeport can be proven where the employer only hires one gender, promotes employees on the basis of gender, or acts in retaliation against a worker who has complained of employer 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 Freeport could also potentially be held liable for inappropriate behavior that was conducted by an employee's co-worker.

New York employers can also be held liable for sexual harassment if it allows conduct that leads to an overly sexual work environment. The specific details for proving intent to discrimination can be complicated, and so gender discrimination might be challenging to prove without an attorney. The procedures for filing can also be complex.