What actions by employers are covered by the discrimination laws?
Discrimination laws do not apply to every act that is taken against an employee, even if it is discriminatory. The laws only apply to adverse actions that affect a tangible aspect of the employee’s job. For example, a bad evaluation or disciplinary action is not illegal unless accompanied by some adverse effect on the job, such as loss of a raise or significant job duties. Adverse discriminatory job actions that are covered include failure to hire, denial of promotion, demotion, unequal pay, consistent unfavorable job assignments, failure to accommodate a disability, significant loss of job duties, harassment, and termination.
