Know Your Rights:

Workplace Discrimination is Illegal

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces Federal laws that protect you from
discrimination in employment. If you believe you’ve been discriminated against at work or in applying for a
job, the EEOC may be able to help.

Who is Protected? What Organizations are Covered?

• Employees (current and • Union members and • Most private employers • Educational institutions
former), including managers applicants for membership • State and local governments (as employers)
and temporary employees in a union (as employers) • Unions
• Job applicants • Staffing agencies

What Types of Employment Discrimination What Employment Practices can be Challenged

are Illegal? as Discriminatory?
Under the EEOC’s laws, an employer may not discriminate against All aspects of employment, including:
you, regardless of your immigration status, on the bases of:
• Discharge, firing, or lay-off • Obtaining or disclosing
• Race • Retaliation for filing genetic information
a charge, reasonably • Harassment (including
• Color unwelcome verbal or of employees
opposing discrimination,
• Religion physical conduct) • Requesting or disclosing
or participating in a
• National origin discrimination lawsuit, • Hiring or promotion medical information
• Sex (including pregnancy, investigation, or proceeding of employees
• Assignment
childbirth, and related • Interference, coercion, or • Conduct that might
• Pay (unequal wages or
medical conditions, threats related to exercising reasonably discourage
compensation)
sexual orientation, or rights regarding disability someone from opposing
gender identity) • Failure to provide reasonable discrimination, filing a
discrimination or pregnancy accommodation for a
• Age (40 and older) accommodation charge, or participating in an
disability; pregnancy, investigation or proceeding
• Disability childbirth, or related medical
• Conduct that coerces,
• Genetic information condition; or a sincerely-held
intimidates, threatens, or
(including employer requests religious belief, observance
interferes with someone
for, or purchase, use, or or practice
exercising their rights,
disclosure of genetic tests, • Benefits or someone assisting or
genetic services, or family • Job training encouraging someone else
medical history) to exercise rights, regarding
• Classification
disability discrimination
• Referral
(including accommodation) or
pregnancy accommodation

What can You Do if You Believe Discrimination has Occurred?

Contact the EEOC promptly if you suspect discrimination. Do not delay, because there are strict time limits for filing a charge
of discrimination (180 or 300 days, depending on where you live/work). You can reach the EEOC in any of the following ways:

Submit a n inquiry through the EEOC’s public portal: Visit an EEOC field office (information at
https://publicportal.eeoc.gov/Portal/Login.aspx www.eeoc.gov/field-office)

Call 1–800–669–4000 (toll free) E-Mail [email protected]

1–800–669–6820 (TTY)
1–844–234–5122 (ASL video phone) Additional information about the EEOC,
including information about filing a charge of
discrimination, is available at www.eeoc.gov.
EMPLOYERS HOLDING FEDERAL CONTRACTS OR SUBCONTRACTS
The Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Protected Veteran Status
Programs (OFCCP) enforces the nondiscrimination and affirmative
action commitments of companies doing business with the The Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974,
Federal Government. If you are applying for a job with, or are an as amended, 38 U.S.C. 4212, prohibits employment discrimination
employee of, a company with a Federal contract or subcontract, against, and requires affirmative action to recruit, employ, and
you are protected under Federal law from discrimination on the advance in employment, disabled veterans, recently separated
following bases: veterans (i.e., within three years of discharge or release from
active duty), active duty wartime or campaign badge veterans, or
Armed Forces service medal veterans.
Race, Color, Religion, Sex, Sexual Orientation,
Gender Identity, National Origin Retaliation
Executive Order 11246, as amended, prohibits employment
Retaliation is prohibited against a person who files a complaint of
discrimination by Federal contractors based on race, color,
discrimination, participates in an OFCCP proceeding, or otherwise
religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin,
opposes discrimination by Federal contractors under these
and requires affirmative action to ensure equality of opportunity
Federal laws.
in all aspects of employment.
Any person who believes a contractor has violated its
Asking About, Disclosing, or Discussing Pay nondiscrimination or affirmative action obligations under OFCCP’s
authorities should contact immediately:
Executive Order 11246, as amended, protects applicants and
employees of Federal contractors from discrimination based on The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP)
inquiring about, disclosing, or discussing their compensation or U.S. Department of Labor
the compensation of other applicants or employees. 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20210
Disability 1–800–397–6251 (toll-free)

Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please
protects qualified individuals with disabilities from discrimination dial 7–1–1 to access telecommunications relay services. OFCCP may
in hiring, promotion, discharge, pay, fringe benefits, job training, also be contacted by submitting a question online to OFCCP’s Help
classification, referral, and other aspects of employment by Desk at https://ofccphelpdesk.dol.gov/s/, or by calling an OFCCP
Federal contractors. Disability discrimination includes not making regional or district office, listed in most telephone directories under
reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental U.S. Government, Department of Labor and on OFCCP’s “Contact Us”
limitations of an otherwise qualified individual with a disability webpage at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ofccp/contact.
who is an applicant or employee, barring undue hardship to the
employer. 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.

PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES RECEIVING FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Race, Color, National Origin, Sex Individuals with Disabilities

In addition to the protections of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, prohibits
of 1964, as amended, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as employment discrimination on the basis of disability in any program
amended, prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or or activity which receives Federal financial assistance. Discrimination
national origin in programs or activities receiving Federal finan- is prohibited in all aspects of employment against persons with
cial assistance. Employment discrimination is covered by Title VI disabilities who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can
if the primary objective of the financial assistance is provision of perform the essential functions of the job.
employment, or where employment discrimination causes or may
cause discrimination in providing services under such programs. If you believe you have been discriminated against in a program
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits employ- of any institution which receives Federal financial assistance, you
ment discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs should immediately contact the Federal agency providing such
or activities which receive Federal financial assistance. assistance.

(Revised 6/27/2023)