Nevada Civil Rights Lawyer
Civil rights attorneys represent clients whose individual rights have been violated by other individuals, businesses, or the government. Examples of civil rights include the right to freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, the right to vote, and the right of assembly. In addition, every American also has the right to be free from involuntary servitude and the right to equality in public places.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 You’ve likely heard of it: The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was groundbreaking legislation. It outlawed segregation in schools, employment, and public places. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 helped advance the rights of African Americans and women.
Enforcing Federal Civil Rights The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigates alleged violations of civil rights laws; in addition, the United States Department of Justice (USDOJ) upholds the U.S. Constitution and civil rights. For example, the USDOJ enforces federal statutes designed to protect the civil rights of all individuals and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, disability, religion, and national origin. The USDOJ has played an important role in ending segregation in schools and prosecuting hate crimes; moreover, the Employment Litigation Section, Civil Rights Division, USDOJ enforces Title VII (Civil Rights Act of 1964) against state and local government employers.
Civil Rights FAQs
I’m hiring a new manager for my business. What anti-discrimination laws do I need to be aware of? When hiring your new manager, keep in mind that it is illegal to discriminate against, or treat differently, a job applicant or an employee because of the individual’s race, national origin, color, religion, gender (including pregnancy), age (if the applicant is 40 years of age or older), disability, or genetic information.
Is affirmative action legal? Yes, affirmative action programs and laws are legal and were developed in an attempt to overcome past discriminatory practices against African Americans and women. In 1977, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights defined affirmative action as “…any measure, beyond simple termination of a discriminatory practice, adopted to correct or compensate for past or present discrimination or to prevent discrimination from recurring in the future.”
What is racial profiling? Does racial profiling still happen today? Unfortunately, racial profiling is an ongoing issue and is still a problem today. “Racial profiling” is a law enforcement strategy that singles out minorities as being suspicious, solely on the basis of their appearance or accent. Today’s controversial immigration laws often support racial profiling.
My children’s school is considering separating girls and boys for math classes. Is this legal? The legality of providing separate math classes for girls and boys depends upon the motive for separating the sexes as well as the content of the classes. The school must provide equal opportunities for both boys and girls; offering a lower level class for girls, just because they’re girls, is not legal. However, offering separate classes to eliminate discrimination or barriers is legal.
Can male college athletes receive more scholarship money than female athletes? Athletic scholarship awards must be based upon the percentage of male to female athletes participating in varsity sports. If there is an equal number of men and women participating in varsity sports, athletic scholarships for men and women must be equal. However, if 60% of the varsity athletes are male and 40% are female, the scholarship dollars will also be split 60/40.
Civil Rights Glossary
Unconstitutional A law or act is “unconstitutional” if it violates the United States Constitution. For example, a law forbidding Catholic or Mormon people from gathering and worshipping would violate the freedom of religion and the freedom of assembly provisions of the first amendment to the Constitution. Therefore, that law would be unconstitutional.
Retaliatory If an individual or company retaliates, they are said to be revengeful, meaning something unpleasant is done to someone as a punishment for doing something. Retaliatory firings are illegal when someone complains about being discriminated against.
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) was created by the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII.) The EEOC’s mandate is to enforce the anti-discrimination employment provisions in the Civil Rights Act, Equal Pay Act, Age Discrimination Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. The EEOC fights discrimination by private employers.
Reverse Discrimination Critics of affirmative action argue that affirmative action programs discriminate against white males by favoring less qualified minorities and/or women.