Austin Title VII Attorney

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was originally developed by President John F. Kennedy and signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson. It was the first federal legislation to ban discrimination from government agencies and public companies in the United States. It contains ten titles, or subsections, that detail people’s rights in specific contexts, such as the school they attend or the hotel where they stay.

Title VII is the subsection that describes people’s rights when working or applying for jobs. It clearly states that it is illegal for employers to discriminate against applicants and employees based on sex, race, color, religion, nation of origin, or their association with a person who belongs to a protected class. In 1986 the Supreme Court ruled that sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination, and is therefore also banned by Title VII.

Exceptions

Some employers are exempt from Title VII. They are:

• Religious groups performing work related to their religion
• American Indian tribes
• Nonprofit private organizations.

A business is also allowed to discriminate among applicants based on usually protected traits if having a certain trait is a bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ). This means that there are circumstances under which it is reasonable to only hire members of a certain sex, national origin, etc. For example, a boutique is not committing illegal discrimination if they only hire women to model women’s clothing.

Fight Discrimination

If an employer has turned you down for a job or is treating you badly at work, because of your sex, race, color, religion, or nation of origin, they are in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. An Austin employment attorney will be able to explain your rights and help you fight back against this illegal discrimination.

To speak to an experienced Austin Title VII attorney, contact the offices of The Melton Law Firm at (512) 330-0017.