There are many laws covering employees in the workplace.  The following summary includes some key legislation protecting employees against discrimination and harassment. 

Equal Pay Act, 1963:  Requires that both male and female workers receive equal pay for equal work, that is, work performed under similar working conditions, and that requires equal skill, effort, and responsibility.

The Civil Rights Act, 1964:  Prohibits employment discrimination in the United States on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.  This prohibition applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including hiring, discharge, and promotion.  Additional laws and acts have passed that protect people with disabilities and Vietnam era veterans.  Retaliation toward any person who exercises their rights is also prohibited.

Sexual Harassment is a form of sex discrimination prohibited by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.  The EEOC defines illegal sexual harassment as: 

• Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.
• Same-sex sexual harassment determined to be a form of discrimination by the Supreme Court (1998) and protected by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), 1967:  Prohibits employers with over 20 employees from discharging or discriminating in any way against their employees who are 40 or older because of their age.  The ADEA does not prohibit early-retirement agreements provided it can be shown that the retirements are totally voluntary and that no form of coercion was used to convince employees to sign early retirement agreements.

Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA), 1978:  Protects pregnant women from employment discrimination.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), 1992/1994:  Prohibits discrimination against the disabled by private employers if these individuals are able to perform the essential functions of the specific job held or sought.  Originally required of employers with 25 or more employees and was amended in 1994 to include employers with 15 or more employees.  If the individual’s disability impedes or would impede job performance, the employer is required to take steps to reasonably accommodate the individual:  however, the employer becomes exempt from this requirement if doing so would impose an undue hardship on the employer.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), 1993:  Requires covered employers to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave to eligible employees for certain family and medical reasons.  Employees are considered eligible if they have worked for a covered employer for at least one year, and for 1,250 hours over the previous 12 months, and if there are at least 50 employees within 75 miles of the facility involved.  Reasons for requests for unpaid leave include:

• To care for the employee’s child after birth or adoption.
• To care for the employee’s spouse, child, or parent who has a serious health condition.