In the land of opportunity, discrimination is wrong!
America: the land of the free and the home of the brave; the land of opportunity. With Veteran’s Day coming up, we remember the heroes who have fought so fiercely to keep that American dream alive and untainted. We all know someone who has served their country, and sometimes we see the toll that their service has taken and we ask ourselves: what was it all for?
That dream–the dream that someone who comes from nothing can work their way up and become somebody–is what so many brave men and women protect with their lives everyday. How can we thank them? We can fight for that dream ourselves. While outside forces threaten the safety of our nation’s borders and way of life, inside forces corrupt justice and oppress the weak.
Become a champion of opportunity; get to know our nation’s employment discrimination laws so that you can stand up for your rights and the rights of others. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has a list of all the kinds of discrimination that are banned by Federal law.
The 10 Kinds of Discrimination Banned By Employment Discrimination Laws
- Age: While it is perfectly legal to show preference/greater favor to an older employee, it is illegal to “treat someone less favorably” because of their age, if they are older than 40.
- Disability: Treating either employees or applicants less favorably because they A) have a disability B) have a loved one who is disabled or C) are ‘thought to have’ a physical or mental impairment that is ‘not transitory or minor’ is not permitted by law.
- Equal Pay: Jobs that are “substantially equal” (which means that the work that is done is equal, regardless of actual job title), must be equally compensated, regardless of sex.
- Genetic Information: Often in the form of family medical history, it is illegal to treat an employee or applicant less favorably because of their genetic information.
- National Origin: No one should be harassed on the basis of where they originate (or appear to originate) from, just as they should not be treated less favorably because of their ethnicity or accent.
- Pregnancy: The Pregnancy Discrimination Act forbids the treatment of a female applicant or employee unfavorably because of pregnancy, childbirth, or any related complications.
- Race/Color: Treating someone unfavorably because of their race or physical attributes related to race is illegal, as is treating someone unfavorably because of the race/color of their spouse.
- Religion: Not only does this apply to discrimination on the basis of one’s affiliation with a traditional religious organization, but also to any “sincerely held religious, ethical, or moral beliefs.”
- Retaliation: If you have made an employment discrimination lawsuit, it is then illegal for your employer to retaliate against you in any of the ways listed here.
- Sex: No one can treat anyone else unfavorably because of their sex, whether LGBT or otherwise. That includes negative comments, jibes, or refusal to hire.
As great as employment discrimination laws are at covering the many types of discrimination employees encounter on a daily basis, sometimes EEOC laws can be complicated. Don’t hesitate to contact TMH Law, where experience counts and results matter.
Related Tags: Employment Discrimination Laws | EEOC