Opinion ID: 2521300
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Overview of the FEHA's Antidiscrimination Provisions

Text: The Legislature enacted the FEHA to establish a comprehensive scheme to eliminate certain discriminatory practices in employment and housing. An overview of the relevant employment discrimination provisions provides the background for the discussion of plaintiffs FEHA and common law public policy tort claims. Section 12920 outlines the FEHA's general policy against employment discrimination: It is hereby declared as the public policy of this state that it is necessary to protect and safeguard the right and opportunity of all persons to seek, obtain, and hold employment without discrimination or abridgment on account of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, marital status, sex, age, or sexual orientation. Section 12935, subdivision (a) authorizes the Fair Employment and Housing Commission (FEHC) to adopt ... suitable rules, regulations, and standards ... to interpret, implement, and apply all provisions of [the FEHA]. The FEHA has two separate provisionssections 12940 and 12941prohibiting various forms of workplace discrimination and identifying the classes that are protected against these forms of discrimination. Section 12940 prohibits an employer from discriminating, among other things, in the terms, conditions, or privileges of employment because of an employee's race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, marital status, sex, or sexual orientation. Notably, section 12940 does not prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of age. Section 12941, the specific FEHA provision addressing age discrimination in employment, makes it an unlawful employment practice for an employer to refuse to hire or employ, or to discharge, dismiss, reduce, suspend, or demote, any individual over the age of 40 on the ground of age, except in cases where the law compels or provides for such action. (Italics added.) Notably, section 12941 does not prohibit discrimination in the terms, conditions, or privileges of employment.