4 ms·

In the United States there are Protected Classes. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protected_class http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protected_class Race, color, religi

In the United States there are Protected Classes. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protected_class http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protected_class Race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, pregnancy, citizenship, family, disability, veteran, genetics. Technically speaking discrimination is not illegal. Only discrimination along certain axes, such as those listed above, is. States may have additional protected groups on top of that list.

cperciva 12y ago
Am I correct in thinking that it's illegal to discriminate against members of these classes, but not illegal to discriminate in favour of members of these classes? If an employer wanted to pay veterans $1/hour more than non-veterans doing identical work, would that be allowed?
- tseabrooks 12y ago
  IANAL. I believe that protected classes in the US aren't identifying things such as, "You can't discriminate against a woman". Rather, what they say is, "You can't discriminate based on anything related to gender". There may be some exceptions, like veterans as mentioned above, but they would be the exception.
  - zo1 12y ago
    "You can't discriminate based on anything related to gender" Oh, okay... So affirmative-action programs to empower women and other groups are not discriminating against men due to their gender? Interesting double-standard they have there.
    - rhizome 12y ago
      Can we not?
      - zo1 12y ago
        Have double-standards? We can, and we do. Does that make it right? Most would say no, including me. It's actual quite hypocritical, if you think about it. Putting a double-standard in place to fix a previous double-standard. But, I suppose, with the "power" of the state, most people think they can play social-architect and fix all the world's ills...from their armchair. Standards being only one "weapon" in their arsenal.
- walshemj 12y ago
  Probably not as veterans are predominantly male you would be indirectly discriminating against other protected classes.
- meowface 12y ago
  I don't know for sure, but I think it would be illegal to do that as well.

cperciva 12y ago

Am I correct in thinking that it's illegal to discriminate against members of these classes, but not illegal to discriminate in favour of members of these classes? If an employer wanted to pay veterans $1/hour more than non-veterans doing identical work, would that be allowed?

tseabrooks 12y ago
IANAL. I believe that protected classes in the US aren't identifying things such as, "You can't discriminate against a woman". Rather, what they say is, "You can't discriminate based on anything related to gender". There may be some exceptions, like veterans as mentioned above, but they would be the exception.
- zo1 12y ago
  "You can't discriminate based on anything related to gender" Oh, okay... So affirmative-action programs to empower women and other groups are not discriminating against men due to their gender? Interesting double-standard they have there.
  - rhizome 12y ago
    Can we not?
    - zo1 12y ago
      Have double-standards? We can, and we do. Does that make it right? Most would say no, including me. It's actual quite hypocritical, if you think about it. Putting a double-standard in place to fix a previous double-standard. But, I suppose, with the "power" of the state, most people think they can play social-architect and fix all the world's ills...from their armchair. Standards being only one "weapon" in their arsenal.
walshemj 12y ago
Probably not as veterans are predominantly male you would be indirectly discriminating against other protected classes.
meowface 12y ago
I don't know for sure, but I think it would be illegal to do that as well.