What Is Job Discrimination?
“Job Discrimination” occurs when an employee suffers an “adverse employment action”, due to his/her membership in a “protected class”. An “adverse employment action” is any negative action related to the “terms and conditions of employment”, which can really be almost any aspect of the employee’s job, including position, pay, title, hours, vacations, work environment. “Protected classes” mean specific types of personal status that are protected under the law. Note that discrimination is illegal only when that discrimination is based on a “protected class”. For example, there is no law that protects people on the basis of the length of their hair. Therefore, if an employer wants to fire an employee for having hair that is too long, this is perfectly legal. What “Protected Classes” does the law protect? Age: Discriminating on the basis of age in the workplace is illegal under both the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. However, only people over forty are protected. An may employer can
