Know Your Rights:

Workplace Discrimination is Illegal 

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces Federal laws that protect you from 

discrimination in employment. If you believe you’ve been discriminated against at work or in applying for a 

job, the EEOC may be able to help.

Who is Protected? 

• Employees (current and • Union members and 

former), including managers applicants for membership 

and temporary employees in a union 

• Job applicants 

What Organizations are Covered?

• Most private employers 

• State and local governments 

(as employers) 

• Educational institutions (as 

employers) 

• Unions 

• Staffing agencies 

What Types of Employment Discrimination are 

Illegal? 

Under the EEOC’s laws, an employer may not discriminate against 

you, regardless of your immigration status, on the bases of:

• Race 

• Color 

• Religion 

• National origin

• Sex (including pregnancy 

and related conditions, 

sexual orientation, or gender 

identity) 

• Age (40 and older) 

• Disability 

• Genetic information 

(including employer requests 

for, or purchase, use, or 

disclosure of genetic tests, 

genetic services, or family 

medical history) 

• Retaliation for filing 

a charge, reasonably 

opposing discrimination, 

or participating in a 

discrimination lawsuit, 

investigation, or proceeding.

What Employment Practices can be Challenged 

as Discriminatory? 

All aspects of employment, including:

• Discharge, firing, or lay-off 

• Harassment (including 

unwelcome verbal or 

physical conduct) 

• Hiring or promotion 

• Assignment 

• Pay (unequal wages or 

compensation) 

• Failure to provide reasonable 

accommodation for a 

disability or a sincerely-held 

religious observance or 

practice

• Benefits

• Job training 

• Classification

• Referral 

• Obtaining or disclosing 

genetic information of 

employees 

• Requesting or disclosing 

medical information of 

employees 

• Conduct that might 

reasonably discourage 

someone from opposing 

discrimination, filing a 

charge, or participating in an 

investigation or proceeding.

What can You Do if You Believe Discrimination 

has Occurred? 

Contact the EEOC promptly if you suspect discrimination. Do not 

delay, because there are strict time limits for filing a charge of 

discrimination (180 or 300 days, depending on where you live/

work). You can reach the EEOC in any of the following ways:

Submit an inquiry through the EEOC’s public portal: 

Call

Visit 

E-Mail 

Additional information about the EEOC, 

including information about filing a charge of 

discrimination, is available at www.eeoc.gov.

https://publicportal.eeoc.gov/Portal/Login.aspx 

1–800–669–4000 (toll free) 

1–800–669–6820 (TTY) 

1–844–234–5122 (ASL video phone)

an EEOC field office (information at 

www.eeoc.gov/field-office) 

info@eeoc.gov
 

 

EMPLOYERS HOLDING FEDERAL CONTRACTS OR SUBCONTRACTS

The Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance 

Programs (OFCCP) enforces the nondiscrimination and affirmative 

action commitments of companies doing business with the 

Federal Government. If you are applying for a job with, or are an 

employee of, a company with a Federal contract or subcontract, 

you are protected under Federal law from discrimination on the 

following bases:

Race, Color, Religion, Sex, Sexual Orientation, 

Gender Identity, National Origin 

Executive Order 11246, as amended, prohibits employment 

discrimination by Federal contractors based on race, color, 

religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin, 

and requires affirmative action to ensure equality of opportunity 

in all aspects of employment.

Asking About, Disclosing, or Discussing Pay 

Executive Order 11246, as amended, protects applicants and 

employees of Federal contractors from discrimination based on 

inquiring about, disclosing, or discussing their compensation or 

the compensation of other applicants or employees.

Disability 

Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, 

protects qualified individuals with disabilities from discrimination 

in hiring, promotion, discharge, pay, fringe benefits, job training, 

classification, referral, and other aspects of employment by 

Federal contractors. Disability discrimination includes not making 

reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental 

limitations of an otherwise qualified individual with a disability 

who is an applicant or employee, barring undue hardship to the 

employer. Section 503 also requires that Federal contractors take 

affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified 

individuals with disabilities at all levels of employment, including 

the executive level. 

Protected Veteran Status 

The Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, 

as amended, 38 U.S.C. 4212, prohibits employment discrimination 

against, and requires affirmative action to recruit, employ, and 

advance in employment, disabled veterans, recently separated 

veterans (i.e., within three years of discharge or release from 

active duty), active duty wartime or campaign badge veterans, or 

Armed Forces service medal veterans.

Retaliation

Retaliation is prohibited against a person who files a complaint of 

discrimination, participates in an OFCCP proceeding, or otherwise 

opposes discrimination by Federal contractors under these 

Federal laws.

Any person who believes a contractor has violated its 

nondiscrimination or affirmative action obligations under OFCCP’s 

authorities should contact immediately:

The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP)

U.S. Department of Labor

200 Constitution Avenue, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20210

1–800–397–6251 (toll-free)

If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please

dial 7–1–1 to access telecommunications relay services. OFCCP may

also be contacted by submitting a question online to OFCCP’s Help

Desk at https://ofccphelpdesk.dol.gov/s/, or by calling an OFCCP 

regional or district office, listed in most telephone directories under

U.S. Government, Department of Labor and on OFCCP’s “Contact Us”

webpage at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ofccp/contact.

PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES RECEIVING FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Race, Color, National Origin, Sex

In addition to the protections of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act 

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

amended, prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or 

national origin in programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance. Employment discrimination is covered by Title VI 

if the primary objective of the financial assistance is provision of 

employment, or where employment discrimination causes or may 

cause discrimination in providing services under such programs. 

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs 

or activities which receive Federal financial assistance.

Individuals with Disabilities

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, prohibits

employment discrimination on the basis of disability in any program

or activity which receives Federal financial assistance. Discrimination

is prohibited in all aspects of employment against persons with 

disabilities who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can

perform the essential functions of the job.

If you believe you have been discriminated against in a program 

of any institution which receives Federal financial assistance, you 

should immediately contact the Federal agency providing such 

assistance.