Published on March 9, 2016
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) files more Title VII lawsuits than any other type of discrimination or harassment suit. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects workers against employment discrimination and harassment on grounds including race, color, national origin, sex, and religion. Title VII applies to employers with 15 or more employees. It is unlawful to discriminate against any individual in regard to recruiting, hiring and promotion, transfer, work assignments, performance measurements, the work environment, job training, discipline and discharge, wages and benefits, or any other condition of employment. Title VII also prohibits neutral job policies that disproportionately affect persons of a certain race or color and that are not related to the job and the needs of the business.
Washington’s Law Against Discrimination prohibits discrimination because of a person’s race, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, age (40+), disability, retaliation, sexual orientation/gender identity, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability. Generally, the state law is considered to be broader than even some federal law on discrimination. It applies to companies with eight or more employees.
This message has been created by the Employment Rights, Benefits & Labor Group at Ryan, Swanson & Cleveland, PLLC to advise of recent developments in the law. Because each situation is different, this information is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended to provide legal advice on any specific facts and circumstances. Ryan, Swanson & Cleveland, PLLC is a full-service law firm located in Seattle, Washington.