An employer cannot legally fire or lay off an employee, subject an employee to unequal terms and conditions of employment or refuse to hire a prospective employee based on their gender, sexual orientation or non-conformance with gender stereotypes under federal, state and often local laws.
The Bloom Firm helps job applicants, employees and former employees who believe they have been subjected to sexual discrimination. We also represent employers to defend their rights in these matters.
An employment policy or practice that on its face applies to all employees, regardless of sex, could be illegal if there is a disproportionate, negative impact on the employment conditions of employees of a certain sex and is not job-related or necessary for the operation of the business. Though these cases may be difficult to prove, they could potentially have a wide-ranging, costly impact on an employer.
Examples of sexual discrimination include:
- Unequal pay: Women traditionally receive lower pay than men for the same or similar work, despite state and federal law requiring men and women to be entitled to equal pay for equal work. The jobs at issue need not be identical, but if they are substantially equal (based on job content and function, not titles), there should be equal pay.
- Pregnancy discrimination: It is illegal to treat a woman unfavorably as a result of her pregnancy, childbirth or a pregnancy- or childbirth-related medical condition.
The Bloom Firm represents employees and employers through all phases of the litigation process.
- We negotiate on behalf of our clients and represent them at mediation sessions in order to work out a mutually agreeable settlement.
- The Bloom Firm also represents clients at arbitration hearings, another possible alternate dispute resolution alternative.
- If the case cannot be resolved, we zealously defend our client’s rights, representing their interests during the litigation process, during a trial and any appeals that may follow.
If you need legal representation because you’ve been subjected to sexual discrimination or you are an employer requiring a defense against such claims, contact the Bloom Firm today.