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Law Resource Center

Federal Laws

Laws by Category

• Affirmative Action
• Age
• Disability
• Gender
• Race, Color, National Origin
• Religion
• Veterans Status

List of Laws and Regulations

• Equal Pay Act of 1963
• Civil Rights Act of 1964
• Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1964
• Title IX of the 1972 Educational Amendments
• Executive Order 11246
• The Rehabilitation Act of 1973
• Readjustment Act of 1974
• Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
• Civil Rights Act of 1991

State Laws

• Minnesota Human Rights Act

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LAWS BY CATEGORY

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Affirmative Action

Executive Order 11246 (as amended by 11375) - requires affirmative action programs for women and minorities and prohibits job discrimination on the basis of race, color , religion, sex, or national origin.

Section 402, Veterans Readjustment Act of 1974 - requires affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified special disabled veterans and veterans of the Vietnam era and prohibits discrimination based on Vietnam-era veteran status or special disabled veteran status in federally assisted programs.

Section 503, Rehabilitation Act of 1973 - requires affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities and prohibits discrimination based on disability in federally assisted programs.

Age

Age Discrimination Act of 1975 - prohibits discrimination based on age in federally assisted programs.

Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 - prohibits discrimination based on age in employment for employees 40 years old or older.

Disability

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 - prohibits discrimination based on disability in employment, public accommodations, public services, transportation, and telecommunications and requires provision of reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities.

Section 503, Rehabilitation Act of 1973 - prohibits discrimination based on disability in federally assisted programs and requires affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities.

Section 504, Rehabilitation Act of 1973 - prohibits discrimination based on disability in federally assisted programs.

Gender

Equal Pay Act of 1963 - prohibits sex discrimination in payment of wages to women and men performing substantially equal work in the same establishment.

Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 - prohibits discrimination in employment based on pregnancy and related conditions.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 - prohibits discrimination in employment based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

Title IX of Education Amendments of 1972 - prohibits discrimination based on sex in federally assisted programs.

Race, Color, National Origin

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 - prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in federally assisted programs.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 - prohibits discrimination in employment based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

Religion

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 - prohibits discrimination in employment based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

Veteran Status

Section 402, Veterans Readjustment Act of 1974 - prohibits discrimination based on Vietnam-era veteran status or special disabled veteran status in federally assisted programs and requires affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified special disabled veterans and veterans of the Vietnam era.

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LIST OF LAWS AND REGULATIONS

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Equal Pay Act of 1963
Requires equal pay for equal work, i.e. substantially equal in skill, effort, and responsibility. Permissible pay discrimination under the Act includes circumstances in which pay differentials between men and women in the same job title are due to (1) seniority system, (2) merit system, (3) system which measures earnings by quantity or quality of production, or (4) differentials based on any other factor other than sex.

Civil Rights Act of 1964
Prohibits discrimination in programs receiving Federal funds.

Title VI: Prohibits discrimination on the basis of race or national origin in federally-financially assisted programs.

Title VII: Prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex (including pregnancy).

Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1964
Prohibits discrimination in employment of individuals over 40 years of age and older, except in special circumstances.

Title IX of the 1972 Educational Amendments to the Higher Education Act
Prohibits sex discrimination in educational institutions receiving Federal funds. Covers programs and activities including students loans and scholarships, access to courses, housing, health services, athletics, career services and publications.

Executive Order 11246 (1965)
Prohibits discrimination in employment practices of Federal contractors who receive $50,000 or more in federal funds and have 50 or more employees. Requires affirmative action be taken to provide employment opportunities for qualified women and minorities.

Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Prohibits discrimination in programs receiving Federal funds on the basis of disability.

Section 503: Requires affirmative action be taken to provide employment opportunities for qualified persons with disabilities by employers receiving more than $2,500 or more in Federal funds.

Section 504: Prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs receiving federal funds. Requires reasonable accommodation qualified persons with disabilities, except in cases of undue hardship is shown.

Section 402 of the Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974
Requires affirmative action be taken to employ Vietnam era veterans, special disabled and disabled veterans by employers receiving $10,000 or more in Federal funds. Amended in 1992 to cover all veterans.

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
Prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment (Title I), by state and local governments (Title II), in public accommodations (Title III) and in telecommunications (Title IV).

Civil Rights Act of 1991
Amends Civil Rights Act of 1964 by adding the protected category of "disability" and provides for appropriate remedies for intentional discrimination and unlawful harassment in the work place. The 1991 Act does not affect court-ordered remedies, affirmative action, or conciliation agreements, that are in accordance with the law.