In Oregon, discrimination by employers that is based on gender is banned by the Civil Rights Act of 1963 and the Equal Pay Act. Therefore, employers may not take sex into account when they determine pay, hire new workers, or promote within the company. They are also required to make sure that the working environment is neither hostile to a certain gender nor overtly sexual.

What Must be Proven in a Discrimination Claim?

The Equal Pay Act allows discrimination to be shown if it can be shown that both men and women work for the same employer doing the same tasks, and yet are paid differently. Furthermore, a claim may succeed if an employer in Milwaukie hires only one gender, promotes workers because of their gender, or retaliates against those seeking relief for this misconduct.

When is Sexual Harassment Prohibited?

Sexual harassment consists of all unwanted conduct of a sexual nature directed towards the victim, and includes both physical and verbal acts. Employers in Milwaukie may also be liable for the behavior, even when the conduct was done by an employee's co-worker.

An Oregon employer can 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. Furthermore, there can be specific procedures that must be closely followed in pursuing a claim.