Discrimination is the unjust or prejudicial treatment of a person based on a category they fall into, such as their race, sex or religion.
Everyone has the right to expect a safe work environment and to expect that their employment will not be adversely affected by the fact that they belong to a protected class. They should feel safe in expecting that their qualification and work performance are the only things that affect decisions regarding their employment.
What is the Pennsylvania Human Relations Committee?
The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission enforces state laws regarding discrimination, educates the public about discrimination and protects the rights of people who file discrimination complaints at the state or federal level.
What is the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA)?
The PHRA prohibits discrimination in cases related to employment, housing, commercial property, education and public accommodations. Discrimination occurs in the workplace when an employer treats workers differently based on their status as a member of a protected class when it comes to hiring, firing, pay, benefits or promotions.
Does the PHRA protect LGBT workers?
Even though the Pennsylvania Human Rights Act does not explicitly state that it protects LGBT people as a protected class, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission has stated that protection against sex discrimination implies LGBT protections. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission describes sex discrimination as “treating someone unfavorably because of that person’s sex, including the person’s sexual orientation, gender identity or pregnancy.”
In addition to the protections offered by the PHRA, there may be city or federal protections available to you if you have suffered discrimination based on sex.
