Are employers allowed to set different standards or expectations for employees based on their race?

No. Employment discrimination law in Virginia strictly prohibits employers from setting different standards or expectations based on an employee’s race. Under Virginia employment law, employers are required to treat all employees equally in regard to hiring, training, promoting, evaluating and disciplining personnel. This means employers cannot discriminate against individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition, age, marital status, or disability. If an employer is found to be in violation of these laws, they can face serious consequences. This includes fines, criminal charges, and employee lawsuits. To protect employees’ rights, Virginia encourages employers to implement company policies that prohibit discriminating against individuals on the basis of race or any other protected class. In addition, an employer cannot base employment decisions on an employee’s personal characteristics, such as race. This means that employers cannot set different standards or expectations based on an employee’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition, age, marital status, or disability. Employers are also prohibited from making decisions without proper consideration of all employees. For example, an employer cannot arbitrarily promote a certain individual solely based on their race. Any decisions an employer makes in regard to an employee must be based on qualifications and performance, not race.

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Are employers allowed to set different standards or expectations for employees based on their race?

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