Federal Law and Regulations of Nondiscrimination

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended

Prohibits discrimination by employers against any individual concerning hiring, discharge, compensation, and all terms, conditions and privileges of employment because of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

Section 503, Rehabilitation Act (1973)

Prohibits discrimination by federal contractors against any employee or applicant for employment because of physical or mental disability regarding any position for which he or she is qualified. Requires the employer to take affirmative action to employ, promote, and otherwise treat qualified individuals with disabilities without discrimination based on their disability. Also requires a written affirmative action plan, but hiring goals need not be established. Affirmative action does require that an employer take steps to accommodate a qualified worker with a disability unless accommodation poses an undue hardship.

Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Act (1974)

Prohibits discrimination by federal contractors against applicants or employees because they are special disabled veterans or veterans of the Vietnam era in regard to any position for which they are qualified. Requires that employers take affirmative action to employ, advance in employment, and otherwise treat special disabled veterans and Vietnam era veterans without discrimination based on their disability or veteran's status. Also requires a written affirmative action plan, but hiring goals need not be established.

Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1975

Prohibits employers from failing or refusing to hire, or from discharging, or from otherwise discriminating against any individual aged 40 or over with respect to compensation and all terms, conditions, and privileges of employment because of the individual's age. Exceptions to the prohibition against forced retirement include certain high-level executives and public safety personnel.

Equal Pay Act of 1963, as amended

Prohibits employers from discriminating on the basis of sex in paying salaries for equal work requiring equal skill, effort, and responsibility and performed under similar working conditions.

Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990)

Prohibits employers from discriminating against any qualified employee or applicant for employment because of a physical or mental disability. In addition, it requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities unless doing so would impose an undue hardship.

Immigration and Nationality Act

Prohibits employers (when hiring, discharging, or recruiting) from discriminating because of national origin against U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, and authorized aliens. Also Prohibits employers from discriminating because of citizenship status against U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, and the following classes of aliens with work authorization: permanent residents, temporary residents (that is, individuals who have gone through the legalization program), refugees, and asylees.