In Texas, discrimination by employers that is based on gender is banned by the Civil Rights Act of 1963 and the Equal Pay Act. Therefore, gender may not be the basis for any employer decisions regarding pay, hiring policies, or promotion requirements. They are also required to make sure that the working environment is neither hostile to a specific 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 nevertheless paid differently. Employers in Dallas will also be held liable in a discrimination claim if their hiring and promotion policies favor one gender, or if the they take retaliatory action against a worker who files a complaint against their employer.
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. An employer in Dallas might be liable for such conduct, even when it is simply other co-workers that have engaged in harassment.
Texas employers who allow conduct to produce an overly sexual work atmosphere may also be held liable for sexual harassment. The specific details for proving intent to discrimination can be complicated, and so gender discrimination might be difficult to prove without an attorney. The procedures for filing can also be complex.