Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII) probably is the most widely recognized and most commonly used federal anti-discrimination law. Among other things, Title VII makes it illegal for most employers to:
- To discriminate on the basis of certain personal traits or characteristics
- Retaliate against employees who stand up against discrimination
Traits or Characteristics
Title VII protects certain "classes" of people, based on certain personal traits or characteristics. Under Title VII, employers can't discriminate against you because of your:
While Title VII covers sex and gender, it doesn't cover "sexual orientation," such as when a gay or lesbian employee or job applicant is discriminated against. Such a federal law has been proposed, though. Also, several states make such discrimination illegal.
Title VII also covers "reverse discrimination" claims. For example, a white male employee's claim that an African-American female employee was given a promotion because of her race or gender is covered by Title VII.
Employers and Actions Covered
Title VII applies to any employer - whether it's a private company or a federal, state, or local government agency - with at least 15 employees. There are a number of things employers can't do (called "adverse employment actions") on the basis of an employee's or prospective employee's race, sex, etc., including:
- Refuse to hire you
- Fire you
- Deny you a promotion, or demote you
- Pay you less than other workers who do the same work
- Harass you, or allow co-workers or supervisors to harass you
In addition, Title VII also bars employers from retaliating against employees for complaining about discrimination at work, filing a charge of discrimination, or taking part in an employment discrimination investigation or lawsuit. For instance, it's illegal if your employer fires you because you complained to human resources or a supervisor about discrimination happening at work.