Title VII

• Title VII, which was passed as part of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, prohibits employers from discriminating on the basis of race, national origin, gender or religion. The items on this list are called "protected classes." Certain other areas, such as sexual orientation, are not protected.
  
  

Protected Rights

• Title VII prohibits discrimination in almost every facet of work life. An employer can't consider the prohibited factors in decisions involving hiring, firing or terms and conditions of employment. This means an employer can't refuse to hire you or give you more difficult work because of your race, gender or national origin. It also means that they must ensure that other workers do not harass you because of your protected status.
  Additionally, it prohibits an employer from giving a test that discriminates against someone of a protected class unless a legitimate business need for the test can be shown.
  
  

Religious Discrimination

• Religious discrimination under Title VII is very broad. It includes the traditional organized religions as well as unorthodox or uncommon religious beliefs. The religious beliefs do not have to be reasonable, and there is not a minimum number of people who must believe in something for it to be considered a religious belief.
  Employers must accommodate the religious needs of workers if it is reasonable to do so and not unduly burdensome on the company or other workers. Certain religious organizations are exempt from the religious discrimination provisions for positions directly related to religion. For example, a church can discriminate on the basis of religion when hiring a priest but not when hiring a secretary, unless there is a legitimate business reason for the secretary to have certain religious beliefs.
  
  

Disability Discrimination

• Title VII does not protect Americans with disabilities from discrimination, but the Americans with Disabilities Act does. This legislation requires employers to hire and/or make reasonable accommodations for disabled workers and prohibits discrimination in hiring or firing.
  
  

Age Discrimination

• Older Americans are protected by the Age Discrimination in Employment Act that was passed in 1967. This legislation was passed to protect American workers 40 years of age and older from being discriminated against in terms of hiring, firing, promotions, compensation and terms and conditions of employment.