Federal and state law prohibit Pennsylvania employers from discriminating against employees based on certain characteristics, such as race or religion. (To learn more, see our page on employment discrimination and harassment.)
In all 50 states, federal law makes it illegal to discriminate based on:
In addition, Pennsylvania state law also prohibits discrimination based on:
Several cities in the U.S. have their own laws protecting additional characteristics or extending protection to more employees. Contact your local government to learn more.
Federal antidiscrimination laws apply to Pennsylvania employers with 15 or more employees, with the following exceptions:
Pennsylvania's antidiscrimination law applies to companies with four or more employees.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is the federal agency that regulates workplace discrimination. You can contact the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission by calling 800-669-4000 or check out its website at www.eeoc.gov. The website will help you locate an EEOC field office in Pennsylvania.
The Human Relations Commission enforces state antidiscrimination law in Pennsylvania. You can contact the Human Relations Commission at 717-787-4410 or 717-787-9784 or go to its website.
For more information on employment discrimination, see The Employer's Legal Handbook, by Aaron Hotfelder (Nolo).