In Michigan, the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act is, in part, designed to protect employees from employment discrimination. Many people are not fully aware of what this law does and how it protects employees. If the law is violated, those who have been victimized need to understand how they have been harmed and what they can do, through legal means, to rectify the situation.
Religion, race, color, national origin, sex, height, weight, age or marital status cannot be used by an employer to decide not to hire or recruit an employee. It is also illegal for these factors to be used to discharge or discriminate against the employee or prospective employee in any way. The employer is also not allowed to limit, segregate or classify a current employee, or a person applying for the job, in any manner that will deprive that person of an opportunity to gain employment or in a way that will negatively affect the person’s employment status due to height, weight, religion, age, marital status, national origin or sex.
Workers or prospective workers cannot be segregated, classified or face workplace discrimination based on sex when it comes to a condition, term or privilege of employment. This includes benefits plans or systems. A person cannot be treated differently for being pregnant, having a baby or any condition for a reason based on employment than another person who is not affected by these issues but is similar in being able or unable to work. The source of the condition cannot be taken into account.
Workplace discrimination law is useful to protect employee rights from various acts than an employer might try to perpetrate to prevent giving a worker time off due to a medical issue, from having to hire people of a different sex or race than the employer desires, and for numerous other issues. Those who believe they have been subjected to workplace discrimination need to have a grasp of how they are protected under the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act. Speaking to an attorney can help in pursuing a legal claim.
Source: Michigan.gov, “Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act — 37.2202 Employer; prohibited practices; exceptions.,” accessed on Jan. 11, 2016