NATIONAL ORIGIN DISCRIMINATION
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects individuals against employment discrimination on the basis of national origin. It is unlawful to discriminate against any employee or applicant because of the individual’s national origin. No one can be denied equal employment opportunity because of birthplace, ancestry, culture, or linguistic characteristics common to a specific ethnic group. Equal employment opportunity cannot be denied because of marriage or association with persons of a national origin group; membership or association with specific ethnic promotion groups; attendance or participation in schools, churches, temples or mosques generally associated with a national origin group; or a surname associated with a national origin group.
-”Speak English-Only” rules are often illegal. A rule requiring employees to speak only English at all times on the job may violate Title VII, unless an employer shows it is necessary for conducting business.
-Discrimination based on a person’s accent is often illegal. An empoyer must show a legitimate nondiscriminatory reason for the denial of employment opportunity because of an individual’s accent or manner of speaking.
-The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA) requires employers to prove all employees hired after November 6, 1986, aare legally authorized to work in the United States. IRCA also prohibits discrimination based on national origin or citizenship. An employer who singles out individuals of a particular national origin or individuals who appear to be foreign to provide employment verification may have violated both IRCA and Title VII.
Contact a lawyer at Halunen & Associates today if you feel you’ve been the victim of discrimination based on your culture, language, or national origin.
National origin discrimination does not have to be tolerated. The award-winning attorneys at Halunen & Associates have considerable experience in discrimination litigation. We would be happy to discuss your situation with a free initial consultation. Please feel free to phone our Minneapolis or Chicago offices, or fill out a contact form, and we’ll be sure to get back to you as soon as we possibly can. Stand up for your workplce rights! We’re here to assist you in your pursuit of justice.
Above information provided by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. More information can be found at http://www.eeoc.gov/origin/index.html.