The 1964 Civil Rights Act (and Later Amendments)

Because the Constitution cannot compel private individuals to treat all people equally, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act to end racial segregation in America. The 1964 Civil Rights Act and its later amendments make it illegal for: certain businesses, such as restaurants and hotels, to discriminate against customers because of their race; schools to be segregated; anyone to be denied the right to vote because of his/her race; any program that receives money from the federal government to discriminate on the basis of race; and for employers to discriminate against employees or potential employees because of their race, sex or national origin.

Age Discrimination in Employment Act

     The Age Discrimination in Employment Act protects people from being fired from a job or refused a job because of their age. Employers are prohibited from discriminating against people because of their age in generally the same way that employers cannot discriminate because of sex or race under the Equal Employment Opportunities Act.

Americans with Disabilities Act

     The Americans with Disabilities Act was passed by Congress primarily to protect individuals with disabilities from being discriminated against by employers. The statute states that if a person has a disability, he/she cannot be fired from a job or denied a job because of that disability. If a disabled person is capable of doing a job but needs reasonable accommodations, such as special equipment, in order to do the job, an employer is obligated to provide the necessary accommodations.