What categories are protected by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission EEOC )?

Asked by: Enos Gibson  |  Last update: September 11, 2025
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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 EEOC protected categories?

The EEOC is responsible for protecting you from one type of discrimination - employment discrimination because of your race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, disability, age (age 40 or older), or genetic information.

What are the 14 protected categories?

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.

What are the six protected classes under civil rights?

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 the 7 types of discrimination?

  • Age. Age discrimination involves treating someone (an applicant or employee) less favorably because of age. ...
  • Disability. ...
  • Genetic Information. ...
  • Unlawful Workplace Harassment (Harassment) ...
  • National Origin. ...
  • Pregnancy. ...
  • Race/Color. ...
  • Religion.

HR Basics: Equal Employment Opportunity

19 related questions found

What are the protected categories for EO?

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 9 protected characteristics?

Under the Equality Act 2010, there are 9 protected characteristics which are; age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.

What are the EEOC race categories?

The standards have five categories for data on race: American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and White. There are two categories for data on ethnicity: "Hispanic or Latino," and "Not Hispanic or Latino."

What are the 9 protected categories of harassment?

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 is covered under the Equal Employment Opportunity Act?

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person's race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related conditions, gender identity, and sexual ...

What are the most common EEOC violations?

Disability discrimination (36.1%) Race discrimination (32.7%) Sex discrimination (31.7%)

Can you sue your employer for unfair treatment?

Yes, you can take legal action against a company for unfair treatment. California's employment laws protect individuals from discrimination, sexual harassment, and wrongful termination. If you believe you've been treated unfairly at work, it's essential to understand your rights and the legal avenues available to you.

What are the two types of workplace harassment?

The two most common forms are described as quid pro quo sexual harassment and hostile work environment sexual harassment:
  • Quid pro quo harassment. ...
  • Hostile work environment harassment.

What is the EEO 6 category?

6 or F Skilled Crafts.

This category includes all persons whose assignment typically requires special manual skills and a thorough and comprehen- sive knowledge of the processes involved in the work, acquired through on-the-job training or through apprenticeship or other formal training programs.

What are 5 examples of unfair discrimination?

The following would be considered illegal discrimination if there is evidence that the decision was made based on a protected characteristic:
  • Sexual Harassment.
  • Refusal to Provide Services.
  • Unfair Lending Practices.
  • Misrepresenting the Availability of Housing.
  • Refusal to Allow “Reasonable Modifications”
  • Refusing Rental.

Is it against the law to be racist?

Race/Color Discrimination & Harassment

It is unlawful to harass a person because of that person's race or color. Harassment can include, for example, racial slurs, offensive or derogatory remarks about a person's race or color, or the display of racially-offensive symbols.

What categories are protected by the EEOC?

Under the laws enforced by EEOC, it is illegal to discriminate against someone (applicant or employee) because of that person's race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.

What are the 12 types of discrimination?

12 Types of Workplace Discrimination | An Employee Guide
  • Age. The law says: According to the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), age discrimination against people aged 40 or older is illegal. ...
  • Disability. ...
  • Gender & Sexual Orientation. ...
  • Genetic information. ...
  • Harassment. ...
  • National origin. ...
  • Parental status. ...
  • Pregnancy.

What qualifies as an EEOC complaint?

What Qualifies for an EEOC Complaint? The EEOC is responsible for investigating workplace discrimination and harassment complaints of any kind. This can include harassment or discrimination based on race, sex, sexual orientation, nationality, religion, age, or medical status.

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.

How many EEO categories are there?

There are nine EEO categories, but the first one is broken into two distinct groups for a total of 10 categories.

What are the 9 groups of discrimination?

The Equal Status Acts 2000-2018 ('the Acts') prohibit discrimination in the provision of goods and services, accommodation and education. They cover the nine grounds of gender, marital status, family status, age, disability, sexual orientation, race, religion, and membership of the Traveller community.

How to remember the 9 protected characteristics?

We remember the protected characteristics by using the mnemonic:
  1. DR S GRAMPS.
  2. Disability.
  3. Race.
  4. Sex.
  5. Gender reassignment.
  6. Religion or beliefs.
  7. Age.
  8. Marriage or civil partnership.

What are the 7 main protected characteristics?

The Equality Act and protected characteristics
  • age.
  • disability.
  • gender reassignment.
  • marriage or civil partnership (in employment only)
  • pregnancy and maternity.
  • race.
  • religion or belief.
  • sex.

What are the 9 grounds of harassment?

This Commission-approved enforcement guidance presents a legal analysis of standards for harassment and employer liability applicable to claims of harassment under the equal employment opportunity (EEO) statutes enforced by the Commission, which prohibit work-related harassment based on race, color, religion, sex ( ...