The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person's race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, transgender status, and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information. The laws apply to all types of work situations, including hiring, firing, promotions, harassment, training, wages, and benefits. |
The Federal laws prohibiting job discrimination are:
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (https://www.eeoc.gov/statutes/title-vii-civil-rights-act-1964) (Title VII), This law makes it illegal to discriminate against someone on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex. The law also makes it illegal to retaliate against a person because the person complained about discrimination, filed a charge of discrimination, or participated in an employment discrimination investigation or lawsuit. The law also requires that employers reasonably accommodate applicants' and employees' sincerely held religious practices, unless doing so would impose an undue hardship on the operation of the employer's business;
* The Pregnancy Discrimination Act
This law amended Title VII to make it illegal to discriminate against a woman because of pregnancy, childbirth, or a medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth. The law also makes it illegal to retaliate against a person because the person complained about discrimination, filed a charge of discrimination, or participated in an employment discrimination investigation or lawsuit.
Equal Pay Act of 1963 (www.eeoc.gov/statutes/equal-pay-act-1963) (EPA), which protects men and women who perform substantially equal work in the same establishment from sex-based wage discrimination;
Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (https://www.eeoc.gov/statutes/age-discrimination-employment-act-1967) (ADEA), which protects individuals who are 40 years of age or older;
Title I and Title V of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/ada.cfm) (ADA), which prohibit employment discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities in the private sector, and in state and local governments;
Sections 501 and 505 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities who work in the federal government; and the Civil Rights Act of 1991, which, among other things, provides monetary damages in cases of intentional employment discrimination.
The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 https://www.eeoc.gov/statutes/genetic-information-nondiscrimination-act-2008
Title II of the Genetic Information Nondiscriminaton Act of 2008 (http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/genetic.cfm) (GINA), prohibits the use of genetic information in making employment decisions, restricts employers and other entities covered by Title II from requesting, requiring or purchasing genetic information, and strictly limits the disclosure of genetic information.
The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (CSRA)
This law makes it illegal to discriminate against a federal employee or job applicant on the bases of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability. The CSRA also prohibits discrimination on the bases of certain other factors that don't adversely affect employee performance, such as marital status, political association, and sexual orientation. The CSRA makes it illegal to fire, demote, or otherwise "retaliate" against a federal employee or job applicant for whistle-blowing or for exercising the right to file a complaint, grievance, or an appeal.
The Office of Special Counsel (OSC) and the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) enforce the CSRA. For more information, contact the Office of Personnel Management at 202-653-7188 or visit http://www.opm.gov.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has interpreted the prohibition of discrimination based on conduct to include discrimination based on sexual orientation. The CSRA also prohibits reprisal against federal employees or applicants for whistle-blowing, or for exercising an appeal, complaint, or grievance right. The CSRA is enforced by both the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) and the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB).
Additional information about the enforcement of the CSRA may be found on the OPM web site at https://www.opm.gov/retirement-services/csrs-information/; from OSC at (202) 653-7188 or at http://www.osc.gov; and from MSPB at (202) 653-6772 or at http://www.mspb.gov .