What are protected classes?

A

What are protected classes?

Federal and State laws define what are protected classes. The federal and state protected classes include:

  • Age
  • Ancestry
  • Arrest and court record (except as permitted by applicable laws)
  • National origin (National origin may refer to a person’s country of birth, nationality, or cultural or ethnic origin.
  • National origin also includes linguistic characteristics common to a specific ethnic group).
  • Citizenship (except as permitted by applicable laws)
  • Color
  • Credit history or credit report (unless directly related to a job-related qualification)
  • Disability, mental and physical
  • Domestic or sexual violence victim status if the victim provides notice to the employer or the employer has actual knowledge of such status
  • Gender identity or expression
  • Genetic information
  • Income assignment for child support
  • Marital or civil union status
  • Military and veteran status, including uniformed service and National Guard absence
  • Pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding/expressing milk, or related medical conditions
  • Race
  • Religion
  • Reproductive health decision
  • Sex
  • Sexual orientation
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