Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex—including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy—and national origin. It also established the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to enforce these provisions. The Act prohibits retaliation for participating in equal employment opportunity processes or for opposing unlawful practices. Employers must reasonably accommodate sincerely held religious practices unless it causes undue hardship on business operations.
The Pregnancy Discrimination Act amended Title VII to explicitly prohibit discrimination due to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, including retaliation for complaints or participation in investigations. This law protects employees related to pregnancy status.
The Equal Pay Act bans sex-based wage discrimination, requiring equal pay for substantially equal work performed by employees of different sexes in the same establishment. Jobs are considered equal when they require similar skills, effort, responsibility, and are performed under similar conditions.
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act protects individuals aged 40 and older from discrimination in hiring, promotion, wages, firing, layoffs, and benefits. It also restricts age-based preferences in job listings and addresses mandatory retirement provisions, which have largely been phased out except for certain senior executives.