The four main federal laws that prohibit workplace discrimination are Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Equal Pay Act (EPA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA).
If you suspect that your employer has violated one of these laws by wrongfully discriminating against you in the workplace, an employment lawyer in Los Angeles can help you file a lawsuit against them to recover damages.
1. Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act
Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act makes it illegal for employers to discriminate against an individual based on the following protected characteristics:
- Race
- Color
- Sex
- National origin
- Religion
The law also prohibits employers from retaliating against employees who formally or informally file a complaint due to workplace discrimination. Title VII applies to every aspect of employment, including hiring, firing, promotions, training, and use of facilities.
More generally, the Civil Rights Act prohibits employers from harassing employees or denying them job opportunities due to their inclusion in the protected classes mentioned above. It is also illegal to discriminate against employees for associating with someone of a specific nationality, race, sex, color, or religion.
2. Equal Pay Act (EPA)
The Equal Pay Act is part of the federal Labor Standards Act that prohibits wage discrimination based on sex. In this context, “wages” means any form of employment compensation, including:
- Hourly pay/salary
- Overtime
- Bonuses
- Commission
- Insurance
- Vacation
- Allowances
- Accommodations
If there is a discrepancy between employees of different sexes in roles requiring substantially equal skills, employers must equalize pay without reducing the pay of any other employees. To win an EPA wage dispute, the plaintiff must show that the position is performed in the same working conditions and involves comparable amounts of skill, effort, and responsibility.
Note that “substantially equal” doesn’t mean the positions must be the same. Even if the job titles are different, as long as the roles are substantially similar or closely related, employers must follow wage parity.
3. Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)
The 1975 ADEA makes discrimination based on age in employment illegal. The act protects workers age 40 or older and forbids using age distinctions for hiring, firing, compensation, and employee privileges. The ADEA governs all private businesses with at least 20 employees and all federal organizations.
Similar to protections in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the ADEA also prohibits harassing employees based on their age. Employers cannot create policies or practices that have a negative impact on workers over 40 unless the disparate impact is based on reasonable factors other than age.
Notably, the ADEA doesn’t provide protection for employees under the age of 40. This means employers can favor older workers over younger ones. However, the law can apply if an employer discriminates against someone under 40 if the employer believed they were over 40 and discriminated against them for that reason.
4. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
The ADA is a civil rights law passed in 1990 that forbids discriminating against disabled individuals in most aspects of public life, including the workplace. Title I of the ADA establishes that employers must provide the same opportunities and benefits to disabled employees and cannot discriminate against disabled individuals in hiring or retention.
Moreover, disabled employees are entitled to reasonable accommodations to adequately perform essential job functions. If a job applicant has similar qualifications and experience as other applicants, employers cannot pass over their application solely due to their disability.
Title I of the ADA applies to all government organizations and private businesses with 15 or more employees. Employees who have witnessed or been a victim of disability discrimination can file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
What Happens If an Employer Violates Federal Discrimination Laws?
If your employer has violated federal laws that prohibit workplace discrimination, you can file a lawsuit against them to recover financial compensation. Depending on the circumstances, an attorney can sue your employer for the following losses:
- Back pay and lost benefits due to discrimination
- The value of lost promotions, bonuses, and other workplace incentives
- Future earnings if you were wrongfully terminated and cannot be reinstated
- Emotional distress and mental anguish due to discrimination
- Attorney fees and other legal costs
If your employer is a repeat offender or committed an egregious violation, an attorney may also be able to secure punitive damages. This is additional compensation that the court orders the offender to pay to punish their behavior and deter future misconduct.
However, you don’t have unlimited time to file. The statute of limitations for workplace discrimination lawsuits can vary depending on the federal law that was violated. The best option is to secure a workplace discrimination lawyer as soon as possible to start building your case.
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Proving discrimination in the workplace can be difficult, but an experienced employment lawyer can increase the chance of holding your employer accountable and achieving a satisfactory resolution.
If you have more questions about the federal laws that prohibit workplace discrimination, contact Omega Law Group Accident & Injury Attorneys online or call today to speak to a workplace discrimination lawyer in Los Angeles.
