Race or Color Discrimination
Race or color discrimination
It is illegal for an employer to discriminate against an employee because of race. The first employment laws passed by Congress were designed to protect individuals from race discrimination. Race discrimination involves treating someone (an applicant or employee) unfavorably because he/she is of a certain race or because of personal characteristics associated with race (such as hair texture, skin color, or certain facial features). Color discrimination involves treating someone unfavorably because of skin color complexion.
Race/color discrimination also can involve treating someone unfavorably because the person is married to (or associated with) a person of a certain race or color or because of a person’s connection with a race-based organization or group, or an organization or group that is generally associated with people of a certain color.
Discrimination can occur when the victim and the person who inflicted the discrimination are the same race or color.