Submitted by: Submitted by ua1674
Views: 886
Words: 1005
Pages: 5
Category: Business and Industry
Date Submitted: 12/11/2011 09:20 AM
Employment Discrimination laws seek to prevent discrimination based on race, sex,
religion, national origin, physical disability, and age by employers. There is also a growing body
of law preventing or occasionally justifying employment discrimination based on sexual
orientation. Discriminatory practices include bias in hiring, promotion, job assignment,
termination, compensation, and various types of harassment. The main body of employment
discrimination laws is composed of federal and state statutes. The United States Constitution and
some state constitutions provide additional protection where the employer is a governmental
body or the government has taken significant steps to foster the discriminatory practice of the
employer.
The Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution limit the power
of the federal and state governments to discriminate. The Fifth amendment has an explicit
requirement that the federal government not deprive individuals of "life, liberty, or property,"
without due process of the law. It also contains an implicit guarantee that each person receive
equal protection of the laws. The Fourteenth Amendment explicitly prohibits states from
violating an individual's rights of due process and equal protection.. In the employment context
the right of equal protection limits the power of the state and federal governments to discriminate
in their employment practices by treating employees, former employees, or job applicants
unequally because of membership in a group (such as a race or sex).
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination in many more aspects
of the employment relationship. It applies to most employers engaged in interstate commerce
with more than 15 employees, labor organizations, and employment agencies. The Act prohibits
discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. Sex includes pregnancy,...