Discrimination Definition Us Law

Discrimination law and legal definition discrimination refers to the treatment or consideration of or making a distinction in favor of or against a person or thing based on the group class or category to which that person or thing belongs rather than on individual merit.

Discrimination definition us law. Employment discrimination law in the united states derives from the common law and is codified in numerous state federal and local laws these laws prohibit discrimination based on certain characteristics or protected categories the united states constitution also prohibits discrimination by federal and state governments against their public employees. Federal and state laws prohibit discrimination in employment availability of housing rates of pay right to promotion educational opportunity civil rights and use of facilities based on race nationality creed color age sex or sexual orientation. Well known examples are laws restricting the rights of racial or ethnic minorities or denying women the franchise. Discrimination laws protect people from being treated differently given opportunity differently or serviced differently based on their color race national origin religion gender or disability.

We also provide links to the relevant laws regulations and policy guidance and also fact sheets q as best practices and other information. Most laws prohibiting discrimination and many legal definitions of discriminatory acts originated at the federal level through either. Federal legislation like the civil rights act of 1964 and the americans with disabilities act ada. There are many forms of discrimination in a place of work.

An employer who rejects all male applicants and hires the first female applicant with the same qualifications might be discriminating on the basis of gender. While intentional discrimination occurs at the level of individuals institutional discrimination denotes explicit policies of social institutions that exclude impede or otherwise harm certain groups.