Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination in all aspects of employment based on race, color, national origin and ethnicity.

Discrimination based on race, color, national origin and ethnicity can effect any employment-related decision, such as hiring, firing, pay, and decisions regarding job assignments, promotions, layoff, training, and fringe benefits.

Discrimination can be intentional and unintentional. For example, if an employer adopts a blanket policy that excludes all applicants or employees with a criminal record, and that policy has a disproportionate impact on applicants and employees of color (such as African-Americans and Latinos who are overrepresented in the criminal justice system), that employer could be liable for race discrimination in violation of federal civil rights law even though the policy’s implementation was not specifically motivated by racial animus.