Discrimination is the act of making a distinction between one thing and other. We discriminate between things on a daily basis. For example, in order for you to get dressed, you have to discriminate among your pants so that you could find the correct pair to put on. You also have to be able to make a distinction between the socks in your drawers so that you could find a matching pair.
In the legal sense, discrimination means something different. Discrimination is the unequal or unfair treatment of a person based upon some personal characteristic. It is important to note that not all forms of discrimination are illegal. There are several federal laws that prohibit discrimination in the workplace, including:
- Equal Pay Act of 1963: Requires that men and women receive equal pay for doing the same or similar jobs.
- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964: Protects people from being discriminated against based upon their race, color, religion, sex, and their nationality.
- Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967: Protects people who are age 40 or older from being discriminated against based on age.
- Civil Service Reform Act of 1978: Protects people from being discriminated against based on their marital status.
- The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978: Protects women who are pregnant from being discriminated against.
- The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986: Protects people from being discriminated against based on their citizenship or national origin.
- Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990: Protects people with disabilities from being discriminated against based upon their disability (or their perceived disability).
- The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008: Protects people from being discriminated against based upon the differences in their DNA that make it more likely that they will get a certain disease.
- Executive Order 13087: Protects people in the federal civilian workforce (i.e., civilian employees who work for the military) from being discriminated against based upon their sexual orientation.