What are the five protected classes under Title VII?

Asked by: Jasen Metz DDS  |  Last update: March 28, 2026
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Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, as amended, protects employees and job applicants from employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin.

What are the 5 protected classes under title VII?

Protected Classes
  • Race.
  • Color.
  • Religion (includes religious dress and grooming practices)
  • Sex/gender (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and/ or related medical conditions)
  • Gender identity, gender expression.
  • Sexual orientation.
  • Marital status.

What are 5 categories that are protected from discrimination?

Applicants, employees and former employees are protected from employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age (40 or older), disability and genetic information (including family medical history).

What are the five protected classes under the Equal employment Opportunity Act?

Protected Class: The groups protected from employment discrimination by law. These groups include men and women on the basis of sex; any group which shares a common race, religion, color, or national origin; people over 40; and people with physical or mental handicaps.

What are the 13 protected classes?

The protected classes include: age, ancestry, color, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, HIV/AIDS status, military status, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status, or any other bases under the law.

Your HR Guide to: Protected classes under Title VII

23 related questions found

What is Title VII for dummies?

Title VII prohibits an employer from retaliating against employees or applicants when they assert their rights under the law, including when an employee files a discrimination charge, opposes an employer practice that violates the law, or testifies or participates in an investigation or proceeding related to it.

How many protected classes are there federally?

Protected classes in California include Race, Color, Ancestry, National Origin, Sexual orientation, Gender identity and expression, Sex, Pregnancy, childbirth & related medical conditions, Religion, Disability, Age (for persons 40 and older), Military or veteran status, Status as a victim of domestic violence, assault ...

What is EEO Class 5?

The Elementary - Secondary Staff Information Report (EEO-5), also referred to as the EEO-5 Report, is a mandatory biennial data collection that requires all public elementary and secondary school systems and districts with 100 or more employees to submit workforce demographic data , including data by race/ethnicity, ...

What are the protected classes under the ECOA?

This Act (Title VII of the Consumer Credit Protection Act) prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age, receipt of public assistance, or good faith exercise of any rights under the Consumer Credit Protection Act.

What are the 5 main types of discrimination?

Types of discrimination
  • Grounds for discrimination.
  • Sexual harassment.
  • Victimisation.
  • Disability discrimination.
  • Domestic abuse discrimination.

What does title 6 mean?

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 provides that no person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.

What is the EEOC Title 7?

The Federal Government is subject to Title VII. Federal executive agencies and defined units of the other branches must make all personnel actions free from discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion or national origin.

What are protected activities under Title VII?

Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act protects the right to concerted activity such as unionizing and collective bargaining. This can mean joining an established union, or any situation where at least two employees come together to negotiate with their employer for better working conditions.

What is an example of a hostile work environment?

Frequent verbal or physical abuse causes hostility. This can include supervisors constantly yelling at assistants, employees losing their temper and damaging workplace equipment, and passive aggressive gossip where coworkers feel victimized and insulted.

What classes are protected under equal protection?

In light of the history of the Equal Protection Clause, it is no surprise that race and national origin are suspect classifications. But the Court has also held that gender, immigration status, and wedlock status at birth qualify as suspect classifications.

What are the five protected classes under the EEOC?

Protected Characteristics
  • Race, color.
  • Ancestry, national origin.
  • Religion, creed.
  • Age (40 and over)
  • Disability, mental and physical.
  • Sex, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical conditions)
  • Sexual orientation.
  • Gender identity, gender expression.

What are the protected categories of EEO?

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

The laws enforced by EEOC makes it unlawful for Federal agencies to discriminate against employees and job applicants on the bases of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or age.

What are job categories?

A Job Category is a broad-based group of employees with comparable job responsibilities located at comparable levels of responsibility within an organization.

Which were the original five federally protected classes under Title VII?

Title VII prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin.

How many USDA protected classes are there?

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or ...

What is the 7th protected class?

The seven federally protected classes under the Fair Housing Act are race, religion, national origin, color, familial status (the presence of children under the age of 18 in a household), sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), and disability.

Who is exempt from Title VII?

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act does not cover federal employees or independent contractors. However, federal employees are protected against discrimination by other federal anti-discrimination laws.

What are the 10 civil rights?

Examples of civil rights include the right to vote, the right to a fair trial, the right to government services, the right to a public education, the right to gainful employment, the right to housing, the right to use public facilities, freedom of religion.

What is quid pro quo harassment?

Quid pro quo sexual harassment occurs when a superior makes sexual advances toward an employee in exchange for work perks or protection from punishment. In contrast, hostile work environment harassment is when an individual is subjected to unwanted sexual advances, statements, or actions in the workplace.