Legal Process Paper

All over America many Americans have been the victims of some form of discrimination. Even innocent children have fallen victim as students to bias teachers who prefer one personality to another. Still, an even more detrimental form of discrimination can be found hidden in the U.S. workplace. Discrimination in the workplace, or Employment discrimination, can “include bias in hiring, promotion, job assignment, termination, compensation, retaliation, and various types of harassment” (Cornell, 2009). Though unfortunate, there are only some types of discrimination that are currently punishable through the U.S. legal system. “Employment Discrimination laws seek to prevent discrimination based on race, sex, religion, national origin, physical disability, and age by employers” (Cornell, 2009). John is an employee in the private sector, which means he has protection from discrimination for any of these reasons. Usually, discrimination laws protect minority populations or groups traditionally affected by discrimination in the past. For example, if John is a white male he will not likely be able to file with the EEOC for racial discrimination. On the other hand, if he is Native American or African American, he will find protection under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In the same way, if John is over the age of 40 “the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) prohibits employers from discriminating on the basis of age” (Cornell, 2009). John would also find protection from the American with Disabilities Act of 1990 from an employer who was unwilling to make reasonable accommodations if he has a disability. With laws protecting from discrimination based on race, sex religion, national origin, physical disability, and age, there are still no laws protecting Americans from discrimination based on sexual orientation,