Equal Employment Opportunity is
THE LAW
Private Employers, State and Local Governments, Educational Institutions, Employment Agencies and Labor Organizations
Applicants to and employees of most private employers, state and local governments, educational institutions,employment agencies and labor organizations are protected under Federal law from discrimination on the following bases:
RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, SEX, NATIONAL ORIGIN
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, protects applicants and employees from discrimination
in hiring, promotion, discharge, pay, fringe benefits, job training,
classification, referral, and other aspects of employment, on the basis of race,
color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), or national origin. Religious
discrimination includes failing to reasonably accommodate an employee’s
religious practices where the accommodation does not impose undue hardship.
DISABILITY
Title I and Title V of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, protect qualified
individuals from discrimination on the basis of disability in hiring, promotion,
discharge, pay, fringe benefits, job training, classification, referral, and
other aspects of employment. Disability discrimination includes not making
reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental limitations of an
otherwise qualified individual with a disability who is an applicant or
employee, barring undue hardship.
AGE
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended, protects applicants and employees 40 years
of age or older from discrimination based on age in hiring, promotion,
discharge, pay, fringe benefits, job training, classification, referral, and
other aspects of employment.
SEX (WAGES)
In addition to sex discrimination prohibited by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, as amended, the
Equal Pay Act of 1963, as amended, prohibits sex discrimination in the payment
of wages to women and men performing substantially equal work, in jobs that
require equal skill, effort, and responsibility, under similar working
conditions, in the same establishment.
GENETICS
Title II of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 protects applicants and employees from
discrimination based on genetic information in hiring, promotion, discharge,
pay, fringe benefits, job training, classification, referral, and other aspects
of employment. GINA also restricts employers’ acquisition of genetic information
and strictly limits disclosure of genetic information. Genetic information
includes information about genetic tests of applicants, employees, or their
family members; the manifestation of diseases or disorders in family members
(family medical history); and requests for or receipt of genetic services by
applicants, employees, or their family members.
RETALIATION
All of these Federal laws prohibit covered entities from retaliating against a person who files a charge
of discrimination, participates in a discrimination proceeding, or otherwise
opposes an unlawful employment practice.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU BELIEVE DISCRIMINATION HAS OCCURRED
There are strict time limits for filing charges of employment discrimination. To
preserve the ability of EEOC to act on your behalf and to protect your right to
file a private lawsuit, should you ultimately need to, you should contact EEOC
promptly when discrimination is suspected: The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission (EEOC), 1-800-669-4000 (toll-free) or 1-800-669-6820 (toll-free TTY
number for individuals with hearing impairments). EEOC field office information
is available at www.eeoc.gov or in most telephone directories in the U.S.
Government or Federal Government section. Additional information about EEOC,
including information about charge filing, is available at www.eeoc.gov.
Employers Holding Federal Contracts or Subcontracts
Applicants to and employees of companies with a Federal government contract or subcontract
are protected under Federal law from discrimination on the following bases:
RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, SEX, NATIONAL ORIGIN
Executive Order 11246, as amended, prohibits job discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex
or national origin, and requires affirmative action to ensure equality of
opportunity in all aspects of employment.
INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES
Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, protects qualified
individuals from discrimination on the basis of disability in hiring, promotion,
discharge, pay, fringe benefits, job training, classification, referral, and
other aspects of employment. Disability discrimination includes not making
reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental limitations of an
otherwise qualified individual with a disability who is an applicant or
employee, barring undue hardship. Section 503 also requires that Federal
contractors take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment
qualified individuals with disabilities at all levels of employment, including
the executive level.
DISABLED, RECENTLY SEPARATED, OTHER PROTECTED, AND ARMED FORCES SERVICE MEDAL VETERANS
The Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, as amended, 38 U.S.C.
4212, prohibits job discrimination and requires affirmative action to employ and
advance in employment disabled veterans, recently separated veterans (within three years of
discharge or release from active duty), other protected veterans (veterans who
served during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge
has been authorized), and Armed Forces service medal veterans (veterans who,
while on active duty, participated in a U.S. military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded).
RETALIATION
Retaliation is prohibited against a person who files a complaint of discrimination, participates in an
OFCCP proceeding, or otherwise opposes discrimination under these Federal
laws.
Any person who believes a contractor has violated its nondiscrimination
or affirmative action obligations under the authorities above should contact
immediately:
The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP),
U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210,
1-800-397-6251 (toll-free) or (202) 693-1337 (TTY). OFCCP may also be contacted
by e-mail at OFCCP-Public@dol.gov, or by calling an OFCCP regional or district
office, listed in most telephone directories under U.S. Government, Department
of Labor.
Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance
RACE, COLOR, NATIONAL ORIGIN, SEX
In addition to the protections of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, Title VI of the Civil
Rights Act of 1964, as amended, prohibits discrimination on the basis of race,
color or national origin in programs or activities receiving Federal financial
assistance. Employment discrimination is covered by Title VI if the primary
objective of the financial assistance is provision of employment, or where
employment discrimination causes or may cause discrimination in providing
service under such programs . Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972
prohibits employement discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs
or activities which receive Federal financial assistance
INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, prohibits employment discriminationon
the basis of disability in any program or activity which receives Federal
financial assistance. Discrimination is prohibited in all aspects of
employement against persons with disabilities who, with or without reasonable
accommodation, can perform the essential functions of the job
If you believe
you have been discriminated against in a program of any institution which
receives Federal financial assistance, you should immediately contact the
Federal agency providing such assistance.
EEOC 9/02 and OFCCP 8/08 Versions Useable With 11/09 Supplement EEOC-P/E-1 (Revised 11/09)