Protected class | Meaning and Definition

What is protected class?

A “protected class” is a group of people who are legally protected from being damaged or harassed because of a shared characteristic, such as ethnicity, nationality, religion, disability, or sexual identity. In the United States, these groups are protected by federal and state legislation.

The Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice is the independent federal agency responsible for enforcing all federal anti-discrimination laws. In the place of work, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is in charge of implementing these standards.

Harassment vs. Discrimination

Discrimination is a sort of harassment. It is frequently, but not always, linked to the workplace. Harassment can take many forms, including racial epithets, disparaging statements, and inappropriate close interaction or groping.

Bullying generally becomes illegal when it occurs regularly or seriously enough to produce a poisonous work environment in which the complainant found it difficult or unpleasant to operate.

A protected group, protected class, or banned grounds is a category of persons who have been granted particular protection by a law, regulation, or other governing body. The term is widely used for workers and occupations in Canada as well as the United States. When it comes to discriminatory practices based on protected group status, a single act of discrimination can be based on multiple protected classes. Hatred, for contrast, can be highlighted in this section. Nationality, ethnic background, and prejudice against one pregnant woman can be based on sex, relationship status, or even both.