Legal Question in Discrimination Law in Oregon

Re: Supervisor

As an attorney, you probably know that a bad workplace, by itself, is not illegal. The law does not guarantee a nice place to work or a fair boss. The law does provide that an employer cannot treat employees in protected classifications (such as age, race, sex, disability, whistleblowing, workers' compensation claims, etc.) adversely because of such classification. Your summary suggests that, perhaps, you have been treated differently due to gender by being called on to take minutes of board meetings because you are female. If your supervisor's demeaning treatment is caused by your gender, then it is discriminatory.

The more difficult question is whether the different treatment rises to a level that would justify, on a practical level as well as a legal one, some kind of formal action. These strategic issues require consultation with an employment lawyer who can analyze specific facts and develop a strategic plan for dealing with the situation that takes into account your long-term goals (such as whether you want to leave employment or stay, whether asserting a legal claim would effectively end your career potential, etc.).

The above does not constitute legal opinion and is offered for the purposes of general discussion only. The law differs in every jurisdiction, and you should not rely on any opinion except that of an attorney you have retained, who has a professional duty to advise you after being fully informed of all the pertinent facts and who is familiar with the applicable law.