Employment Race Discrimination Law & Legal Definition

Federal and state laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of a person's race or national ancestry in the terms or conditions of employment, which may include salary, benefits, hours, vacations, promotions or whether a person is hired.

Race is generally defined as a person's ancestry or their ethnic characteristics. It is illegal to discriminate against anyone, if the reason for the discrimination is their race, color or national origin. Discrimination may be in the form of overt acts or may be more subtle and accompanied by ethnic slurs and derogatory comments. Also, discrimination based on a person's association with people of a particular race is also prohibited.