As an experienced Media Employment Attorney I am often asked about state and federal anti-discrimination laws. A common concern with employers is whether or not they are subject to state or federal anti-discrimination laws. The answer to that question depends largely on how many employees you have. A lot of the times the federal and state’s statutes are overlapping in the conduct that they prohibit. In the federal context, you are subject to Title VII of the Civil Rights Acts of 1964, which prohibits generally discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy. Those laws will apply to you if you have 15 or more employees. There is another major federal statute which is the ADEA (Age Discrimination and Employment Act) and that prohibits discrimination based on age and that you will be a covered employer under that act if you have more than 20 employees.
Then there is the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), which prohibits discrimination against employees or applicants based on a known or perceived disability. That will apply to you if you have 25 or more employees. On the state level, Pennsylvania specifically, there is one comprehensive statute and that is the Human Relations Act and that applies to you as an employer if you have four or more employees. It’s a much lower threshold and it’s also more comprehensive than the individual federal statutes, but it covers the same areas; national origin, religion, sex, disability, and there are actually a few more additional topics that are covered as well.
Are you wondering if your business is subject to state and federal anti-discrimination laws? If so, contact the experienced Media Employment Attorney Paul Fellman.
This educational blog was brought to you by experienced Employment Attorney Paul Fellman. Our law firm proudly represents clients throughout Media, as well as Pennsylvania, the greater Philadelphia area, and New Jersey.