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  <h1 class="usda-page-title"><span>Equal Employment Opportunity and Civil Rights Laws and Authorities</span>
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  <h2>EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY</h2>

<p> </p>

<ul>
	<li>President Biden's Executive Order on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce</li>
</ul>

<p> </p>

<ul>
	<li>TITLE VII OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964 (TITLE VII)<br>
	This law makes it illegal to discriminate against someone on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex. The law also makes it illegal to retaliate against a person because the person complained about discrimination, filed a charge of discrimination, or participated in an employment discrimination investigation or lawsuit. The law also requires that employers reasonably accommodate applicants' and employees' sincerely held religious practices, unless doing so would impose an undue hardship on the operation of the employer's business.</li>
</ul>

<p> </p>

<ul>
	<li>THE PREGNANCY DISCRIMINATION ACT<br>
	This law amended Title VII to make it illegal to discriminate against a woman because of pregnancy, childbirth, or a medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth. The law also makes it illegal to retaliate against a person because the person complained about discrimination, filed a charge of discrimination, or participated in an employment discrimination investigation or lawsuit.</li>
</ul>

<p> </p>

<ul>
	<li>THE EQUAL PAY ACT OF 1963 (EPA)<br>
	This law makes it illegal to pay different wages to men and women if they perform equal work in the same workplace. The law also makes it illegal to retaliate against a person because the person complained about discrimination, filed a charge of discrimination, or participated in an employment discrimination investigation or lawsuit.</li>
</ul>

<p> </p>

<ul>
	<li>THE AGE DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT ACT OF 1967 (ADEA)<br>
	This law protects people who are 40 or older from discrimination because of age. The law also makes it illegal to retaliate against a person because the person complained about discrimination, filed a charge of discrimination, or participated in an employment discrimination investigation or lawsuit.</li>
</ul>

<p> </p>

<ul>
	<li>SECTIONS 102 AND 103 OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1991<br>
	Among other things, this law amends Title VII and the ADA to permit jury trials and compensatory and punitive damage awards in intentional discrimination cases.</li>
</ul>

<p> </p>

<ul>
	<li>SECTIONS 501 AND 505 OF THE REHABILITATION ACT OF 1973<br>
	This law makes it illegal to discriminate against a qualified person with a disability in the federal government. The law also makes it illegal to retaliate against a person because the person complained about discrimination, filed a charge of discrimination, or participated in an employment discrimination investigation or lawsuit. The law also requires that employers reasonably accommodate the known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified individual with a disability who is an applicant or employee, unless doing so would impose an undue hardship on the operation of the employer's business.</li>
</ul>

<p> </p>

<ul>
	<li>SECTION 508 OF THE REHABILITATION ACT OF 1973,AS AMENDED (29 U.S.C. § 794d)<br>
	Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 508) requires all electronic and information technology (also referred to as information and communication technology or ICT) that is developed, procured, maintained, or used by a federal agency to be accessible to people with disabilities. Examples of ICT include web sites, telephones, multimedia devices, and copiers. Access available to individuals with disabilities must be comparable to access available to others. Standards for Section 508 compliance are developed and maintained by the United States Access Board. Further information about the Access Board's standards and Section 508 generally may be found at www.section508.gov.</li>
</ul>

<p> </p>

<ul>
	<li>ARCHITECTURAL BARRIERS ACT OF 1968 (42 U.S.C. §§ 4151--57) The Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) requires access to facilities that are designed, built, altered, or leased with Federal funds. The Access Board is the federal agency responsible for enforcing the ABA. The Access Board's accessibility standards are available on their website at <span><span><span><a href="http://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/buildings-and-sites/about-the-aba-standards"><span>www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/buildings-and-sites/about-the-aba-standards</span></a>,</span></span></span> and information about filing a complaint may be found at <span><span><span><span><span><span>at <a href="https://www.access-board.gov/enforcement/"><span>www.access-board.gov/aba-enforcement/file-a-complaint</span></a>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>

<p> </p>

<ul>
	<li><span><span><span><span><span><span>THE GENETIC INFORMATION NONDISCRIMINATION ACT OF 2008 (GINA)<br>
	<em>Effective - November 21, 2009.</em><br>
	This law makes it illegal to discriminate against employees or applicants because of genetic information. Genetic information includes information about an individual's genetic tests and the genetic tests of an individual's family members, as well as information about any disease, disorder or condition of an individual's family members (i.e. an individual's family medical history). The law also makes it illegal to retaliate against a person because the person complained about discrimination, filed a charge of discrimination, or participated in an employment discrimination investigation or lawsuit.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<h2><span><span><span><span><span><span>CIVIL RIGHTS</span></span></span></span></span></span></h2>

<ul>
	<li><span><span><span><span><span><span>EQUAL CREDIT OPPORTUNITY ACT<br>
	Enacted on October 28, 1974, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) makes it unlawful for any creditor to discriminate against any applicant, with respect to any aspect of a credit transaction, on the basis of: Race, Color, Religion, National Origin, Sex, Marital Status, Age, Income Derived from Public Assistance, or having exercised their rights under the Consumer Credit Protection Act.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<ul>
	<li><span><span><span><span><span><span>SECTION 504 OF THE REHABILITATION ACT OF 1973<br>
	Prohibits discrimination against otherwise qualified individuals on the basis of disability in Federally assisted or conducted programs.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<ul>
	<li><span><span><span><span><span><span>AGE DISCRIMINATION ACT OF 1975<br>
	Prohibits discrimination against individuals in a Federally Assisted Program based on age.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<ul>
	<li><span><span><span><span><span><span>TITLE VIII OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1968 (Fair Housing Act, as amended 1988)<br>
	Prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental or financing of housing based on: Race, Color, Religion, Sex, National Origin, Familial Status or Disability</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<h2><span><span><span><span><span><span>ASSISTED PROGRAMS</span></span></span></span></span></span></h2>

<ul>
	<li><span><span><span><span><span><span>7 CFR §15a and Subparts A-F<br>
	Prohibits discrimination in Education Programs or Activities Receiving or Benefitting from Federal Financial Assistance</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<ul>
	<li><span><span><span><span><span><span>TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964<br>
	Prohibits discrimination in a Federally Assisted Programs based on: Race, Color or National Origin.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<ul>
	<li><span><span><span><span><span><span>TITLE IX OF THE EDUCATION AMENDMENTS OF 1972</span></span></span></span></span></span>

	<p><span><span><span><span><span>Title IX promises equal access to education for all students and it protects them against discrimination on the basis of sex.  </span></span></span></span></span></p>

	<p><span><span><span><span><span>Title IX was enacted to ensure: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”  </span></span></span></span></span></p>

	<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>If you believe your school, college, or university has violated Title IX, you may file a complaint with the university or with the Department of Agriculture’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights.  Information on program complaint filing may be found at ... https://www.usda.gov/oascr/filing-program-discrimination-complaint-usda-customer. Technical assistance inquiries, including questions regarding compliance with Title IX, may be submitted to: <a href="mailto:SM.OASCR.Info"><span>SM.OASCR.gov</span></a>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
	</li>
</ul>

<h2><span><span><span><span><span><span>CONDUCTED PROGRAMS</span></span></span></span></span></span></h2>

<ul>
	<li><span><span><span><span><span><span>7 CFR §15d.3<br>
	No agency, officer, or employee of the USDA shall, on the grounds of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or gender identity, exclude from participation in, deny the benefits of, or subject to discrimination any person in the United States under any program or activity conducted by the USDA.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<ul>
	<li><span><span><span><span><span><span>7 C.F.R. §15d.3(b)<br>
	No person shall be subjected to reprisal for opposing any practice(s) prohibited by this part; for participating in a proceeding under this part, for opposing unlawful discrimination, for filing a discrimination complaint, or participating in another's discrimination complaint. Any action that may deter a reasonable person from participating in protected activity and creating a chilling effect is actionable.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>

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