Employment Discrimination Laws You Should Be Aware Of

A variety of laws affect the employment practices of your business. Employment discrimination laws affect employment practices from hiring to firing employees and everything in between. The Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) administers federal employment discrimination laws.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. It applies to employers with fifteen or more employees.
Employers must make sure that they do not ask potential employees interview questions that might indicate that the hiring decision is based on one or more of these prohibited factors. For example an employer should not ask a potential employee her maiden name because this might indicate national origin.
Employers must also comply with the Act by maintaining a workplace that is free from harassment. Sexual harassment falls under the Act because it is a form of sex discrimination. The employer must also make sure the workplace is free from racial and ethnic harassment. The Act does not just apply to the employer’s behavior. The employer also is responsible for preventing harassment by supervisors, fellow employees, and even non-employees such as customers.
Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 is an amendment to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. It prohibits discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions and applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including hiring, firing, promotion, leave, and benefits. READ FULL AARTICLE