A 2020 report released by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, whose job it is to enforce federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination, showed 67,448 charges of workplace discrimination in the following categories:

• Retaliation: 37,632

• Disability: 24,324

• Race 22,064

• Sex: 21,398

• Age: 14,183

• National Origin: 6,377

• Color: 3,562

• Religion: 2,404

• Equal Pay Act: 980

• Genetic Information: 440

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These staggering numbers illustrate the prevalence and seriousness of employment discrimination, as well as the need to protect workers from discriminatory practices. Unfortunately, not all claims are reported. Further, not all reported cases result in a favorable outcome for the employee.

There are several federal laws that protect employees from discrimination:

• Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (Title VII)

• Equal Pay Act of 1963 (EPA)

• Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA)

• Title I and Title V of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)

• Sections 501 and 505 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

• Title II of the Genetic Information Discrimination Act of 2008 (GINA)

• Civil Rights Act of 1991

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Collectively, these laws protect employees and job applicants from being discriminated against by employers with 15 employees or more on the basis of:

• Race

• Color

• Religion

• Sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation)

• National origin

• Age (40 or older)

• Disability

• Genetic Information

• Military status

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Discrimination on the above bases is prohibited in all forms, including:

• Unfair treatment

• Harassment

• Denial of a reasonable workplace accommodation

• Retaliation

• And more

States also protect Arizona workers from employment discrimination. The Arizona Civil Rights Act (ACRA) provides the same protections as Title VII with a few notable additions:

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• Like federal law, the ACRA protects pregnant workers from discrimination; however, instead of only applying to employers with 15 employees or more, the state law protects all pregnant employees regardless of the size of the business

• Expanded protections to include LGBTQ+ employees exist in 9 cities:

  • Glendale

  • Phoenix

  • Tucson

  • Mesa

  • Scottsdale

  • Tempe

  • Flagstaff

  • Sedona

  • Winslow

• The city of Tucson has adopted the CROWN act, which protects workers’ rights to have natural hair

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The safeguards added to federal law by state and local laws give workers an extra layer of protection against employee discrimination and additional avenues to pursue recompense.

At Robinson Law Offices, we believe that every Arizona employee has the right to be free from discrimination in the workplace. That’s why we pride ourselves on our commitment to protect workers and their jobs from illegal practices.

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We offer one-on-one consultations with an experienced Arizona employment lawyer and specialized knowledge of federal, state and local laws. To schedule a consultation with an employment discrimination lawyer, contact our office today.

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