Who is protected by employment discrimination law?

Employment discrimination law is a set of laws in place to prevent discrimination and harassment in the workplace based on an employee’s protected characteristics. In Washington, all individuals are protected from discrimination and harassment in the workplace. This includes those belonging to legally-protected classes, such as race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, and veteran status. These laws also prohibit discrimination based on pregnancy and childbirth, as well as disability. It is unlawful for employers to discriminate against an employee or job applicant based on any of these protected characteristics. Employers must also make sure that any employment decisions, such as hiring, firing, or promotion, are based on an employee’s merit and not on any of the characteristics listed. Employees also have protection from retaliation if they file a complaint or report an incident of discrimination. It is illegal for an employer to retaliate against an employee for raising a discrimination claim or for participating in an employment discrimination investigation. Employment discrimination laws in Washington are enforced by the Washington State Human Rights Commission.

Related FAQs

Are employers prohibited from retaliating against employees for filing a discrimination claim?
Are employers allowed to terminate employees due to their religious beliefs?
What types of employers are covered by employment discrimination law?
Are employers allowed to ask job applicants questions about their gender identity?
Are employers allowed to terminate employees for filing a complaint with a government agency?
Are employers allowed to set different standards or expectations for employees based on their religion?
Is it illegal for employers to discriminate against employees who have disabilities?
What is the role of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)?
What is a hostile work environment and is it illegal?
Are employers allowed to set different standards or expectations for genders in the workplace?

Who is protected by employment discrimination law?

Related FAQs

Related Blog Posts