What are the differences between federal and state employment discrimination law?

The difference between federal and state employment discrimination law is that each state has its own set of employment discrimination laws that may provide different levels of protection for employees. In California, the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act are both in effect. The Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employers from discriminating against employees or job applicants on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. This law applies to all employers of 15 or more employees. The California Fair Employment and Housing Act also prohibits employers from discriminating against employees or job applicants based on protected characteristics. These protected characteristics include race, color, religious creed, sex, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, marital status, age, medical condition, and military and veteran status. The main difference between these two bodies of law is the scope of coverage. The Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 is more limited in its scope, while the California Fair Employment and Housing Act is much more expansive. The California act covers a wider range of protective characteristics and applies to employers with as few as 5 employees. It also provides greater remedies to victims of employment discrimination, such as damages for lost wages and court fees. Overall, the differences between federal and state employment discrimination law come down to the differences in scope and remedies available to victims. In most cases, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act provides greater protection for employees than the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Related FAQs

Are employers prohibited from retaliating against employees for filing a discrimination claim?
What is the burden of proof for a discrimination case?
Are employers allowed to maintain separate facilities or locations for males and females?
Are employers allowed to terminate employees for filing workers' compensation claims?
Are employers allowed to set different standards or expectations for employees based on their sex?
How does an employee prove an employment discrimination claim?
Are employers allowed to require job applicants to provide references?
What remedies can be sought in an employment discrimination claim?
What is the relationship between Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and employment discrimination law?
Can employers ask job applicants questions about their race, gender, or age?

What are the differences between federal and state employment discrimination law?

Related FAQs

Related Blog Posts