🇺🇸 US · Employment Law · Updated 2026-06-27
What is Title VII of the Civil Rights Act?
Title VII prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), and national origin. It covers employers with 15+ employees. Enforced by the EEOC.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is the foundational US federal anti-discrimination law. It prohibits employers with 15 or more employees from discriminating in hiring, firing, compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The Supreme Court's Bostock v Clayton County (2020) decision confirmed that 'sex' includes sexual orientation and gender identity.
Title VII covers direct discrimination (treating someone worse because of a protected characteristic), hostile work environment harassment, pregnancy discrimination (expanded by the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act 2023), and retaliation for opposing discrimination or filing an EEOC charge. The law also covers 'disparate impact' — facially neutral policies that disproportionately affect a protected group without business justification.
Claims are filed with the EEOC within 180 or 300 days of the discriminatory act. The EEOC investigates and may attempt conciliation. If the EEOC cannot resolve the charge, it issues a 'right to sue' letter and you may file in federal court. Remedies include back pay, reinstatement, compensatory and punitive damages (capped at $50,000–$300,000 depending on employer size), and attorney's fees.