Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Title VII is a federal law prohibiting covered employers from discriminating in employment because of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It also bars retaliation for opposing unlawful discrimination or participating in related proceedings.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: A U.S. federal agency that enforces laws against workplace discrimination. The EEOC investigates charges and can sue employers under Title VII.
Protected class: A group protected by law from discrimination based on a shared characteristic. Title VII names several protected characteristics, including race, religion, and sex.
Civil Rights Act of 1964: A landmark U.S. federal law barring discrimination in several areas of public life. Title VII is the act’s section addressing employment discrimination.
Griggs v. Duke Power Co.: A 1971 Supreme Court case establishing that unjustified employment practices with discriminatory effects can violate Title VII. It recognized disparate-impact liability under the statute.
Equal Pay Act of 1963: A federal law requiring equal pay for men and women performing substantially equal work in the same establishment. It addresses sex-based pay disparities through a distinct legal framework.
Employment discrimination: Unfair treatment in hiring, pay, promotion, termination, or other work conditions because of a protected characteristic. Title VII is a central federal prohibition on specified forms of employment discrimination.
Employer: An organization or person that hires workers and directs or compensates their labor. Title VII generally applies to employers meeting statutory coverage requirements.
Civil Rights Movement: A movement that challenged racial segregation and discrimination in the United States, especially during the 1950s and 1960s. Its campaigns helped create the political conditions for Title VII’s passage.
Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson: A 1986 Supreme Court case recognizing hostile-environment sexual harassment as actionable under Title VII. It established that workplace harassment can constitute discrimination under the law.
Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967: A federal law protecting workers aged 40 and older from age discrimination. Title VII does not list age as a protected characteristic; this statute does.

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