Individual Project

Abstract
This paper outlines various laws relevant to the work environment. It begins by
examining laws concerning gender discrimination, such as the Equal Pay Act of 1963, which
guarantees that workers holding the same workplace positions are paid equally without
considering gender. The paper goes ahead and discusses laws concerning sex discrimination by
investigating the Sex Discrimination Act. Besides, laws concerning harassment in the work
environment and the roles of employers to defend them are herein outlined. The paper finalizes
by discussing laws applicable to hostile and unpleasant work environments. These laws
guarantee workers protection against any form of discrimination.
Introduction
Several changes have occurred in the work environment today to improve the working
conditions and nature of the workplace. It is the responsibility of employers to ensure that
harassment in the work environment is an issue of the past because it is unlawful in modern
society. In addition, employers should ensure that the work environment is completely free from
all manners of discrimination on the basis of gender, race, and many more. It is worth remarking
that any form of harassment in the work environment invokes a legal action which comes in
many forms, including huge fines. The various laws relevant to harassment in the work
environment are outlined in detail in this paper.
Gender discrimination
Gender discrimination encompasses treatment of employees differently on the basis of
sex in the work environment. However, gender discrimination manifests in many other forms in

3
the workplace. Nevertheless, it should be recognized that there are various laws that are relevant
to gender discrimination in the work environment. Equal Pay Act (EPA) of 1963 is one of these
laws. This Act is a federal law that ensures that there is no discrimination in paying employees
on the basis of their gender (Findlaw, 2022). Equal Pay Act of 1963 is an amendment to the Fair
Standards Act, which aimed to adjust the unfairness in paying males and females holding equal
positions in the workplace. It is worth noting that when appealing any form of gender
discrimination for a legal action under the Equal Pay Act, the worker must either be a male or a
female, working in the same work environment, holding equal positions, and subjected to unfair
pay.
Also, there is Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) that applies to gender discrimination
which provides that it is absolutely unlawful for employees with fifteen workers and beyond to
discriminate against pregnant employees. Furthermore, PDA states that there must be equal
treatment between pregnant employees who are unable to effectively perform their
responsibilities and employees who are temporarily disabled (Findlaw, 2022).
Equal Employment Opportunity Act is also relevant to gender discrimination that
declares it unlawful to discriminate against or reject applicants during recruitment on the basis of
race and gender, among others. Besides, the Act provides that employees and applicants deserve
fair and equal treatment in the workplace (Findlaw, 2022). Affirmative actions for recruiting
employees and procedures for addressing discrimination issues are included in the equal
employment opportunity initiatives.
Sex Discrimination

4
It has been discovered that sex discrimination has various laws that are applicable to it
after being critically scrutinized. The sex Discrimination Act of 1975 is one of these many laws.
This Act provides that it is unlawful to condone any manner of sex discrimination by employers
in the work environment. It must be recognized that Equality Act has been at the forefront in
regulating all forms of discrimination based on sex in the workplace for more than a decade
(Findlaw, 2022). Besides, the Act guarantees that all workers are equally treated, irrespective of
their sex. Sex Discrimination Act also declares it unlawful to favorably treat a particular worker
based on their gender. It is worth recognizing that discrimination based on gender reassignment
encompasses unfair treatment on the basis of the history of the worker being a casualty of gender
reassignment.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 also prohibits discrimination against an
employee in the workplace because of their gender, origin, and race (Weiss, 2019). In mid-2020,
a verdict of a Supreme Court extended the protection to address gender-related issues, including
sexual orientation and gender identity. Furthermore, it is unlawful for employers to fire
employees anyhow and pay them less than other employees. It is also the employer’s
responsibility to enforce equal and fair privileges to all workers regardless of their sex.
Harassment
Harassment is rampant in any work environment and needs to be urgently addressed for
the sake of the safety of employees. Just like gender discrimination discussed above, harassment
has several laws that are relevant to it. Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA)
is one of these several laws, and it provides that employers must not condone any form of
maltreatment by an employee towards another employee because of age or status in the work
environment. Various reasons triggered the enactment of the Age Discrimination in Employment

5
Act of 1967, particularly those that affected aged employees. The main reason among the many
reasons was that aged employees often found it difficult to retain and regain their employment
status in case of sudden situations such as retrenchment (Cihon & Castagnera, 2013). In addition,
the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 is against the establishment of age limits in
the workplace. This particularly disadvantages aged employees since they can no longer meet the
criteria for selection on the basis of age. Besides, the aged individuals are denied the opportunity
to work yet have the required technical skills. The Act ensures maximum protection of
employees and applicants who are forty years and beyond from being discriminated based on
their age during recruitment and job promotion. It must be noted that Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission is responsible for enforcing Age Discrimination in Employment Act of
1967.
Another act that is relevant to the harassment in the work environment is the Americans
with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), which protects disabled workers from being discriminated
against in the work environment. Basically, this Act ensures that workers with disability are
equally treated and that they have equal rights, privileges, and opportunities with other workers
(Cihon & Castagnera, 2013). Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 has five main categories,
and each category has a relationship with a specific public life area. With regards to
employment, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is responsible for ensuring that
individuals with disabilities are successfully employed and take up the positions meant for
individuals with disabilities. It is also the responsibility of the Act to ensure that employers
provide equitable accommodation to all employees, those with disabilities inclusive.
Hostile Workplace

6
Hostile work environments have been prevalent in the United States and need to be
promptly addressed for the sake of the well-being of employees at the workplace. Hostility at the
workplace comes in various forms, including sexual harassment, defamation, and any other
unwelcomed conduct. Hostility in the workplace has various relevant laws, including Title VII of
the Civil Rights Act (1964). This Act provides for protection of employees from any kind of
discrimination on the basis of sex, race, and origin, among others Cihon & Castagnera, 2013). It
is important to note that the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 is also relevant to
the hostility in the workplace, especially in cases where aged employees receive unfair treatment
because their employers believe they are less productive. Genetic Information Nondiscrimination
Act of 2008 (GINA) is also relevant to the hostility in the workplace. It is responsible for
protecting employees against any form of discrimination on the basis of their genetic information
(Slaughter, 2013). American citizens are all encouraged by Genetic Information
Nondiscrimination Act to conduct genetic care as part of their healthcare. This acts makes it
unlawful for employers to ask for genetic information from applicants and employees and to
make job and insurance decisions on the basis of the genetic information (Slaughter, 2013).
Conclusion
Gender discrimination, harassment, and hostility in work environments have been
prevalent in the United States. As a result, this has prompted the federal government to enact
various relevant laws to ensure the protection of workers and their well-being at the workplace.
These laws protect workers from harassment which takes several forms, such as sexual
harassment. Besides, these laws protect workers against gender and sex discrimination and
ensure that all workers are treated equally regardless of their gender. Furthermore, these laws

7
ensure employees’ well-being and that they perform productively by protecting them from
hostility at the workplace.

References

Cihon, P. J., & Castagnera, J. O. (2013). Employment and labor law. Cengage Learning.
Findlaw (2022). Gender discrimination. https://www.findlaw.com/employment/employment-
discrimination/gender-discrimination.html
Slaughter, L. (2013). Genetic information non-discrimination act. Harv. J. on Legis., 50, 41.
Weiss, J. T. (2019). Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VII. The Encyclopedia of Women and Crime,