In Pennsylvania, 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 particular gender nor overtly sexual.
What Must be Proven in a Discrimination Claim?
Under the Equal Pay Act, discrimination is proven when both men and women do the same type of work in the same job and yet are paid different wages. Additionally, a claim may succeed if an employer in Allentown 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 Allentown may also be liable for the behavior, even when the conduct was done by an employee's co-worker.
Pennsylvania employers may also be held liable for sexual harassment if it permits 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.