Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) employment guidelines

Massachusetts employers with six or more employees are prohibited from discriminating against current and prospective employees based on race, color, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, criminal record (inquiries only), handicap (disability), mental illness, retaliation, sexual harassment, sexual orientation, genetics, and active military. In addition, employers have an affirmative responsibility to provide maternity leave to biological and adoptive parents. Visit this page to find the details of these guidelines, and the questions an employer may or may not ask a potential employee (804 CMR 3.01: Employment Discrimination Guidelines and 804 CMR 3.02: Reference Chart Regarding Permissible Inquiries).

Massachusetts Sexual Harassment Law

Massachusetts law requires employers with six or more employees to adopt a written policy against sexual harassment. The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) publishes 'Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Guidelines,' as well as a model sexual harassment policy and poster to assist employers in developing their own policy.

Disability rights and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

The U.S. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) makes it unlawful to discriminate in employment against a qualified individual with a disability. See the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission publication 'The ADA: Your Responsibilities as an Employer.'

Fact Sheet: Employment Discrimination on the Basis of Handicap

Published by MCAD, this factsheet interprets Massachusetts and ADA law.

Immigration-related employment discrimination

Federal law protects some noncitizens who have legal work papers against citizenship and national origin discrimination. These forms of discrimination include having a 'citizens only' or a 'green card only' hiring rule for immigrants who are otherwise authorized to work, or treating immigrant workers differently because of nationality or ancestry.

Special Counsel for Immigration Related Unfair Employment Practices

The agency is housed within the U.S. Justice Department, Civil Rights Division.

Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD)

The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) responds to and resolves discrimination complaints.

U.S. Justice Department, Civil Rights Division

The Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice enforces federal statutes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, disability, religion, familial status and national origin.

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person's race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information. It is also illegal to discriminate against a person because the person complained about discrimination.