JPMorgan Chase & Co. has agreed to settle a federal lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for $1.45 million. As reported by The Wall Street Journal, the lawsuit alleges female mortgage brokers in the company’s Ohio office were subjected to a hostile work environment based on sexual harassment. The lawsuit alleges that supervisors engaged in sexually charged behavior and comments and that female brokers who did not “embrace and participate in these circumstances became ostracized and suffered economic consequences…” The award will be shared among 16 female employees.

Sex or gender discrimination occurs whenever an employee or prospective employee is subject to different treatment due to their gender. An employer cannot stereotype you based on your gender or sex. Employers are required to treat men and women the same in all phases of the employment process regarding

• Policies and practices
• Hiring
• Compensation
• Job training
• Layoffs
• Promotions
• Working conditions
• Benefits
• Other privileges

Often, the terms “sex” and “gender” are interchangeable. However, sex discrimination refers to discrimination based on an individual’s biological identity as male or female while gender discrimination refers to discrimination based on characteristics of an individual that are culturally associated with masculinity or femininity. Gender discrimination is one of the oldest and most prevalent forms of workplace discrimination. It is often subtle, but its impact is very serious.

If you believe that you are being discriminated against at work because of your sex or gender, you should protect your rights and consult an attorney.