Beginning in 1963, a series of federal laws have been passed prohibiting employment discrimination based on a variety of factors including race, color, religion, sex, age, disability and marital status. The list gets longer and more complicated and there are substantial penalties for violations.
Some state laws are even more restrictive, which complicates the matter more.
How, then, does an employer avoid risking lawsuits and fines, while still hiring qualified employees. The law is not static. It keeps changing, so it makes sense to keep up to date. If you own a larger company you may want to purchase legal reference books that are updated periodically. As your company grows, a lawyer who specializes in employment law should be retained or hired.