In Oregon, discrimination by employers that is based on gender is prohibited by the Civil Rights Act of 1963 and the Equal Pay Act. Accordingly, 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 proven if it can be shown that both men and women work for the same employer doing the same tasks, and yet are paid differently. Also, discrimination can be proven if the employer in Sherwood is only hiring or issuing promotions based on one gender. A claim will also succeed if the employer retaliates against workers who seek relief for discrimination.

When is Sexual Harassment Prohibited?

Sexual harassment encompasses any unwelcome or unwanted conduct of a sexual nature that is directed at the victim, whether it is physical or verbal. Employers in Sherwood might also be liable for the behavior, even when the conduct was done by an employee's co-worker.

Oregon 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 hard to prove without an attorney. The procedures for filing can also be complex.