What kind of discrimination is illegal in the workplace?

In Maine, employers are prohibited from discriminating against their employees and job applicants based on certain characteristics. This means that employers cannot treat people differently because of their age, gender, race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, national origin, or other legally protected characteristics. Under Maine law, it is illegal for employers to discriminate against an employee or potential employee in any area of employment, including hiring, firing, promotion, wages, hours, job assignments, benefits, and other conditions of employment. Generally, employers may not take any adverse action against an employee based on any of the protected characteristics listed above. In other words, employers may not deny an employee access to certain benefits or opportunities or refuse to promote them because of their age, race, etc. In addition, it is also unlawful for employers to discriminate against an employee or potential employee based on his or her association with someone (such as a family member) who possesses a particular protected characteristic. An example of this type of discrimination would be denying an interview to a job applicant because her brother is gay. Ultimately, any type of workplace discrimination based on a protected characteristic (such as age, gender, race, religion, etc.) is illegal in Maine and employers must abide by the law. It is important for employees to be aware of their rights and to speak up if they believe they are being discriminated against at work.

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What kind of discrimination is illegal in the workplace?

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