What Adverse Employment Actions are Prohibited by Title VII?

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a federal law that prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. Discrimination often involves your employer taking adverse employment actions against you because you belong to one of these protected classes. Adverse employment actions can include any of the following (and possibly more).

• Not hiring you

• Firing you, including pressuring you to resign (this is called a constructive discharge)

• Demoting you or refusing to promote you

• Not stopping or preventing harassment or retaliation against you

• Punishing you by reducing your pay or hours, putting you in less desirable work conditions, etc.

• Retaliating against you for exercising your rights under Title VII

Note that the employer (the company you work for) is generally the one held accountable under Title VII. The individual supervisors and other coworkers who committed the acts of discrimination against you are not personally liable to you under TItle VII. This means if you recover money from a lawsuit or settlement, the money would come from your employer, not from the individual coworkers who discriminated against you.

Thickstun Luo LLC may be able to help you pursue a legal claim if you have experienced adverse employment actions in violation of Title VII. Contact us today for a consultation.

LEGALESE is an online blog by Thickstun Luo LLC. The blog explains legal terms and concepts in plain English.

Disclaimer: The LEGALESE blog and the posts therein do not form an attorney-client relationship between you and Thickstun Luo LLC. Furthermore, this blog is not intended to render legal advice regarding your specific situation. You should consult an attorney for specific legal advice. Some content in LEGALESE blog posts pertain to state-specific legal rules and concepts that may not be applicable in every jurisdiction.