Many workers understand that they have rights and that laws have been passed over the years to protect them, but they don’t know exactly what these laws or these rights are. Below are a few key laws that you want to be aware of.
1. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
This is perhaps the most important bit of legislation, making it so that companies cannot discriminate on a basis of religion, race, color, gender, or national original.
2. Equal Pay Act
This act makes it so that gender-based discrimination can’t be carried out through pay scales. In essence, it strives to make sure that men and women who are working in similar conditions, with similar resumes, are paid the same.
3. Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
This act helps to protect employees who have health issues and women who are pregnant from discrimination. It has been added to over the years, and two kinds of FMLA leave were written in as recently as 2008.
4. Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)
This act does not cover employees of all ages specifically, but is aimed at those who are over 39. It says that they can’t be discriminated against based on their age. For example, a company cannot refuse to hire a worker who is qualified just because of his or her age, if all other things are equal between that worker and a younger option.
Have you been discriminated against at work and have your rights been violated? If so, you need to know what legal steps you can take in New Jersey.
Source: HR Hero, “Discrimination in the Workplace,” accessed Jan. 29, 2016
