ABA Family Legal Guide

Law and the Workplace

On the Job

Discrimination in the Workplace

What are the major federal antidiscrimination laws?

Title VII prohibits discrimination based on race, sex, color, national origin, or religion. The ADEA prohibits discrimination based on age (if forty or over). Title I of the ADA prohibits discrimination based on disability. The NLRA prohibits discrimination based on an employee's union activity or concerted activity.

Almost every state has antidiscrimination laws that mirror the protections found under federal law. Some state statutes and local ordinances also have more expansive protection than federal law. For example, some prohibit discrimination based on marital status, sexual orientation, or weight.