What types of discrimination are banned under federal law?

On behalf of elizabethtatelaw Attorney at Law posted in Workplace Discrimination on Friday , July 13, 2018

Americans discriminate against one another left and right. They choose their friends based on skin color and national origin. They avoid speaking to people of different religious persuasions. And, they judge people because they have gray hair and a few wrinkles. On a personal level, in terms of forming friendships, federal law doesn’t seek to interfere — and it allows people to associate with whomever they choose. On an employment law level, however, discrimination is unlawful.

Here are the most common types of discrimination specifically banned under federal law:

Pregnancy: Workplaces cannot discriminate against pregnant women when hiring, firing or assigning work loads. Also, when women have to take time off for their pregnancies, in some cases, the employer must reserve a similar level position for them when they’re ready to return.

Race/Color and National Origin: It doesn’t matter what someone looks like. Discriminating against him or her at work on the basis of external appearance, race or color could result in a viable cause of action to pursue a lawsuit. In addition, employers cannot discriminate on the basis of national origin or accent.

Religion: Religious discrimination is pervasive, especially in the way one religion views another as incorrect or immoral. Currently, many Islamic members of the Phoenix community find themselves targeted by religious-based discrimination.

Retaliation: In the context of employment discrimination, retaliation relates to the negative reaction of an employer against an employee in retaliation against him or her for reporting, complaining about or filing a formal legal complaint regarding discriminatory behavior.

Sex: Men and women must receive equal treatment at work (period). When an employer fails to honor this simple principle, the employer could be liable to the employee on the basis of gender discrimination. Anti-sex discrimination laws also apply to equal pay. It doesn’t matter if you’re a man or a woman, you must receive equal treatment under the law.

Age: Individuals who are 40 years of age and older receive protection under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. If you believe you’ve suffered negative consequences at work because of your advanced age, you may want to investigate this matter further.

Disability: Under federal law, individuals with disabilities must receive the same opportunities as individuals without disabilities as long as they are able to perform their job duties with reasonable accommodation. Employers must also provide their employees with disabilities with such reasonable accommodations.

Were you harmed by one of the above categories of employment discrimination in Arizona. You might want to learn about your legal rights to determine whether you have the right to pursue financial justice in court.