Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, prohibited employment discrimination on the basis of protected classes, specifically, race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. Over time, additional laws expanded these protections. Such laws include the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) of 1967, The Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) of 1978, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) of 2008. Supreme Court decisions have also impacted how protected classes are defined. For example, SCOTUS clarified that “sex” includes gender identity and sexual orientation, and employers cannot discriminate against employees on these bases without violating Title VII.
If you are a member of a protected class and have suffered any form of discrimination in the workplace, we want to help. For employees in North Carolina and South Carolina, The Noble Law is ready to advocate for your rights. We believe you. We share your goals: to affirm your dignity and obtain the compensation you deserve.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964
As noted, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (“Title VII”) established the concept of protected classes in the workplace and prohibits certain employers from discriminating based on an employee’s:
- Race
- Color
- Sex (later expanded to include gender identity and sexual orientation under recent interpretations)
- National Origin
- Religion
Before Title VII, there were few federal protections against workplace discrimination. While some State laws and union agreements provided limited protections, no comprehensive federal law prohibited employment discrimination based on race, sex, religion, or national origin. Many employers could legally refuse to hire or fire individuals based on these characteristics.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is charged with enforcing the federal anti-discrimination laws, and employees must typically go through the EEOC before they can access the federal court system.
The Number of Protected Classes Has Expanded
After Title VII was enacted, employers with more than 14 employees became legally required to establish fair hiring, firing, and workplace policies that complied with the law.
Over time, the number of protected classes has expanded to include age, disability, pregnancy status, sexual orientation, and gender identity. These changes reflect growing societal recognition of the need to safeguard individuals from discrimination—not only in employment but also in housing, education, healthcare, and public accommodations.
Common Discriminatory Practices
Some of the most common discriminatory practices banned by Title VII and other federal employment laws include:
- Hiring and Firing Discrimination – Refusing to hire, refusing to promote, or terminating an employee based on race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, religion, national origin, age, disability, or other protected characteristics.
- Workplace Harassment – Creating a hostile work environment through unwelcome conduct, such as sexual harassment, racial slurs, or frequent mocking of one’s disability or religion.
- Unequal Pay and Compensation – Paying employees unequally for the same work based on gender (Equal Pay Act of 1963) or other protected characteristics.
- Failure to Accommodate – Refusing to provide reasonable accommodations for disabilities (ADA) or religious practices (Title VII) when such accommodations do not create undue hardship.
- Discriminatory Job Advertisements – Posting job listings that exclude or discourage applicants based on protected characteristics.
- Segregation and Classification – Assigning employees to certain jobs, shifts, or locations based on race, gender, or other protected traits.
- Pre-Employment Discrimination – Using hiring tests, background checks, or application questions that disproportionately screen out individuals from protected classes.
If you are punished for filing a complaint or report of discrimination, participating in an investigation, or opposing unlawful employment practices, you may also have a separate retaliation claim.
In an ideal world, all people would be treated with equity, and those who stand up against discrimination would not be punished. However, workplace discrimination and retaliation does exist. Our experienced employment lawyers are here to defend and represent employees facing intolerable workplace discrimination. No one should be treated unfavorably in the workplace because of their race, skin color, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, disability, religion, or age.
How Do Attorneys Prove Workplace Discrimination Against a Protected Class?
Every case is unique, but some of the strategies an experienced employment attorney will use to assess the strength of a discrimination case and expose discrimination in the workplace include the following:
- Gathering direct evidence, such as emails, text messages, performance evaluations, or statements that explicitly show bias or unfair treatment.
- Analyzing patterns of discrimination by reviewing hiring, promotion, pay, and termination records to identify disparities affecting employees based on race, gender, age, disability, or other protected traits.
- Interviewing witnesses can also be crucial, as colleagues and former employees may provide firsthand accounts of discriminatory practices in the workplace.
Attorneys further strengthen cases by comparing how similarly situated employees were treated, exposing disparate treatment based on protected characteristics. They also investigate retaliation claims, proving that employees who reported discrimination were unfairly fired, demoted, or harassed. Reviewing company policies and training programs can reveal whether workplace procedures contribute to systemic discrimination.
Legal teams may also file complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or state labor agencies, using statistical analysis to demonstrate patterns of bias. These strategies help employees seek compensation, reinstatement, or workplace policy changes to prevent future discrimination.
Schedule a Consultation with The Noble Law
We work to deliver outcomes with integrity and empathy for the client’s journey. Our firm emphasizes client-attorney relationships, which guides our dedication to well-developed and documented processes, including our specially trained intake department, communication systems, and internal matter workflow system. As a result, we have grown to be a recognized national leader in employment law.
If you believe you have experienced discrimination based on your protected status, contact us today to schedule a confidential legal consultation in North Carolina or South Carolina. We are your trusted counsel for workplace disputes.
About The Noble Law Firm
The Noble Law is a women-owned employment law firm with offices in North Carolina and South Carolina, founded by Laura Noble in 2009. Specializing in wrongful termination, workplace harassment, workplace retaliation, workplace mediation, and neutral third-party investigations, the firm is committed to leveling the playing field for employees. Their focus is on delivering positive outcomes with empathy and integrity, while also driving societal change in employment law.
The firm emphasizes diversity, collaboration, and innovation, fostering a balanced work environment that values the personal lives of its staff. With a strong commitment to technology and efficiency, The Noble Law provides personalized attention to a select group of clients, handling cases involving harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and more. The team’s extensive litigation experience allows them to deliver thorough and assertive representation.
