Equal Employment Opportunity

Private Employers, State and Local Governments, Educational Institutions, Employment
Agencies and Labor Organizations


Applicants to and employees of most private employers, state and local governments, educational institutions, employment agencies and labor organizations are protected under Federal law from discrimination on the following bases:
RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, SEX, NATIONAL ORIGIN
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, protects applicants and employees from discrimination in
hiring, promotion, discharge, pay, fringe benefits, job training, classification, referral, and other aspects of
employment, on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), or national origin. Religious
discrimination includes failing to reasonably accommodate an employee’s religious practices where the
accommodation does not impose undue hardship.

DISABILITY
Title I and Title V of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, protect qualified individuals
from discrimination on the basis of disability in hiring, promotion, discharge, pay, fringe benefits, job training,
classification, referral, and other aspects of employment. Disability discrimination includes not making
reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified individual
with a disability who is an applicant or employee, barring undue hardship.

AGE
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended, protects applicants and employees 40 years
of age or older from discrimination based on age in hiring, promotion, discharge, pay, fringe benefits, job
training, classification, referral, and other aspects of employment.

SEX (WAGES)
In addition to sex discrimination prohibited by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, as amended, the Equal Pay Act
of 1963, as amended, prohibits sex discrimination in the payment of wages to women and men performing
substantially equal work, in jobs that require equal skill, effort, and responsibility, under similar working
conditions, in the same establishment. 

GENETICS
Title II of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 protects applicants and employees from
discrimination based on genetic information in hiring, promotion, discharge, pay, fringe benefits, job training,
classification, referral, and other aspects of employment. GINA also restricts employers’ acquisition of
genetic information and strictly limits disclosure of genetic information. Genetic information includes
information about genetic tests of applicants, employees, or their family members; the manifestation of
diseases or disorders in family members (family medical history); and requests for or receipt of genetic
services by applicants, employees, or their family members.

RETALIATION
All of these Federal laws prohibit covered entities from retaliating against a person who files a charge of
discrimination, participates in a discrimination proceeding, or otherwise opposes an unlawful employment
practice.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU BELIEVE DISCRIMINATION HAS OCCURRED
There are strict time limits for filing charges of employment discrimination. To preserve the ability of EEOC to
act on your behalf and to protect your right to file a private lawsuit, should you ultimately need to, you
should contact EEOC promptly when discrimination is suspected: The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission (EEOC), 1-800-669-4000 (toll-free) or 1-800-669-6820 (toll-free TTY number for individuals with
hearing impairments). EEOC field office information is available at www.eeoc.gov or in most telephone
directories in the U.S. Government or Federal Government section. Additional information about EEOC,
including information about charge filing, is available at www.eeoc.gov. 

Employers Holding Federal Contracts or Subcontracts

Applicants to and employees of companies with a Federal government contract or subcontract are protected
under Federal law from discrimination on the following bases:


RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, SEX, NATIONAL ORIGIN
Executive Order 11246, as amended, prohibits job discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or
national origin, and requires affirmative action to ensure equality of opportunity in all aspects of
employment.

INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES
Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, protects qualified individuals from discrimination
on the basis of disability in hiring, promotion, discharge, pay, fringe benefits, job training, classification,
referral, and other aspects of employment. Disability discrimination includes not making reasonable
accommodation to the known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified individual with a
disability who is an applicant or employee, barring undue hardship. Section 503 also requires that Federal
contractors take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with
disabilities at all levels of employment, including the executive level. 

DISABLED, RECENTLY SEPARATED, OTHER PROTECTED, AND ARMED FORCES SERVICE
MEDAL VETERANS

The Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, as amended, 38 U.S.C. 4212, prohibits job
discrimination and requires affirmative action to employ and advance in employment disabled veterans,
recently separated veterans (within three years of discharge or release from active duty), other protected
veterans (veterans who served during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has
been authorized), and Armed Forces service medal veterans (veterans who, while on active duty, participated
in a U.S. military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded).

RETALIATION
Retaliation is prohibited against a person who files a complaint of discrimination, participates in an OFCCP
proceeding, or otherwise opposes discrimination under these Federal laws.
Any person who believes a contractor has violated its nondiscrimination or affirmative action obligations
under the authorities above should contact immediately:
The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution
Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210, 1-800-397-6251 (toll-free) or (202) 693-1337 (TTY). OFCCP may also
be contacted by e-mail at OFCCP-Public@dol.gov, or by calling an OFCCP regional or district office, listed in
most telephone directories under U.S. Government, Department of Labor. 
Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance

RACE, COLOR, NATIONAL ORIGIN, SEX
In addition to the protections of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, Title VI of the Civil Rights
Act of 1964, as amended, prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin in programs or
activities receiving Federal financial assistance. Employment discrimination is covered by Title VI if the
primary objective of the financial assistance is provision of employment, or where employment
discrimination causes or may cause discrimination in providing services under such programs. Title IX of the
Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of sex in educational
programs or activities which receive Federal financial assistance.

INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, prohibits employment discrimination on the basis
of disability in any program or activity which receives Federal financial assistance. Discrimination is
prohibited in all aspects of employment against persons with disabilities who, with or without reasonable
accommodation, can perform the essential functions of the job.
If you believe you have been discriminated against in a program of any institution which receives Federal
financial assistance, you should immediately contact the Federal agency providing such assistance.
EEOC 9/02 and OFCCP 8/08 Versions Useable With 11/09 Supplement
EEOC-P/E-1 (Revised 11/09)