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Harassing Conduct Policy and Equal Employment Opportunity Complaint Process Poster - This poster provides information on the Harassing Conduct Policy (HCP) and the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Complaint processes for DOL employees and applicants for DOL employment. It describes how to use both processes, identifies the prohibited bases of discrimination and harassment, and provides links to additional sources of information as well as contact information.
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Workplace Harassment – This fact sheet primarily discusses prohibited harassing conduct under federal law – that is, harassment for which individuals may file EEO complaints and seek make-whole relief as a victim of workplace harassment. It includes information on how to recognize workplace harassment, and both the responsibilities of an employee who has witnessed or been subjected to workplace harassment and the agency that has been put on notice of allegations of workplace harassment.
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Religious Discrimination and Accommodation – Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII) prohibits federal agencies from discriminating against employees or applicants because of their religious beliefs or practices in hiring, firing, and other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment. The definition of “religious beliefs” includes theistic beliefs (i.e., those that include a belief in God) as well as non-theistic moral or ethical beliefs about right and wrong that are sincerely held with the strength of traditional religious views. Additionally, Title VII requires federal agencies to reasonably accommodate employees’ or applicants’ religious beliefs or practices unless doing so would impose an undue hardship upon the Agency. This guidance provides an overview of religious discrimination and explains the process for requesting a religious accommodation at the Department of Labor.
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Primer On Inclusive Language For Written And Oral Communication - This primer will offer suggestions for agencies to consider when drafting and revising documents to promote the use of inclusive language. Similarly, it will offer guidance for individuals to consider when engaging in oral conversations with customers and colleagues in a manner that reflects the ideals of inclusive language use. This guidance is not meant to be exhaustive, but aims to provide principles, resources, and specific suggestions for writing and talking about or with people from diverse backgrounds. 
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National Origin Discrimination – Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. National origin discrimination can involve treating employees or applicants for employment negatively because of a person's actual or perceived birthplace, ancestry, culture or language.
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Equal Pay for Equal Work – The Equal Pay Act of 1963, amending the Fair Labor Standards Act, protects against wage discrimination based on sex. The Equal Pay Act protects both men and women. All forms of compensation are covered, including salary, overtime pay, bonuses, life insurance, vacation and holiday pay, cleaning or gasoline allowances, hotel accommodations, reimbursement for travel expenses, and benefits. If there is an inequality in wages between men and women who perform substantially equal jobs, employers must raise wages to equalize pay but may not reduce the wages of other individuals.
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DOL Policies on Gender Identity – Rights and Responsibilities – The Department’s policies reaffirm the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) commitment to fair treatment of, and equal opportunity for, all people. Policies prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity help create the reasonable expectation of a safe environment in which all employees and applicants for employment are evaluated by their performance, rather than others’ perceptions of, or level of comfort with, their gender identity or gender expression. Further, DOL’s policies are consistent with the policies of other federal agencies, such as EEOC, DOJ, and OPM, and this guidance document is consistent with OPM’s Guidance Regarding the Employment of Transgender Individuals in the Federal Workplace.
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DOL Policies on LGBTQ+ Employees and Applicants: Rights and Responsibilities Desk Aid  – The Department of Labor (DOL) is committed to the fair treatment of, and equal opportunity for, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+)[1] individuals. The Department’s policies reaffirm DOL’s commitment to creating safe spaces for all its workers, regardless of sexual orientation, transgender status, gender identity, and gender expression. The Department’s ban on discrimination works to create the reasonable expectation of an environment where all employees and applicants for employment at DOL are evaluated by their performance, rather than by their sexual orientation or gender identity or expression or others’ perceptions thereof.
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Disability Discrimination in the DOL Workplace – Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA), prohibits employment discrimination in the Federal government against qualified persons on the basis of a disability. In enacting the ADAAA, Congress made it easier for an individual seeking protection and/or a reasonable accommodation to establish that he or she has a disability within the meaning of the statute.
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Religious Expression in the DOL Workplace  –  Effective work environments are created and maintained through collegial professional relationships. It is not uncommon for colleagues to share information about their personal lives in developing and sustaining these relationships. Often, co-workers discuss their personal views regarding current events, entertainment or even political affairs. Co-workers may also discuss religion and engage in religious expression in the workplace. This guidance, which is intended to inform such discussions, rests on the general principle that all agency employees shall be treated with the same respect and consideration, regardless of their religion (or lack thereof).
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Religious Garb and Grooming in the Workplace –  The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued two new technical assistance publications addressing workplace rights and responsibilities with respect to religious dress and grooming under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. These documents include a question-and-answer guide and an accompanying fact sheet which provides a user-friendly discussion of the applicable law, practical advice for employers and employees, and numerous case examples based on the EEOC's litigation.
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Use of Official Time in the Federal Sector EEO Process – Department of Labor (DOL) employees who use the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) complaint process are entitled to a reasonable amount of official time to prepare EEO complaints (against DOL) and to respond to requests for information, if otherwise on duty.[1] Employees using the EEO process are entitled to be accompanied, represented, and advised by a representative of their own choice at any stage in the process, and those representatives, if employees of the DOL, are also entitled to official time. ([1] 29 C.F.R. § 1614.605(b)
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What to Expect When You're Expecting (and After the Birth of Your Child) ... at Work – The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978, which amended Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000e et seq., prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex including past, current, or potential pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding/lactation, abortion, contraception, and related medical conditions and procedures. Pregnancy discrimination involves treating an individual — an applicant or employee — unfavorably in any aspect of employment, including hiring, firing, pay, job assignments, promotions, layoffs, training, fringe benefits, such as leave and health insurance, and any other terms or conditions of employment. Statutory protections from pregnancy discrimination apply to all DOL employees and applicants for DOL employment.  This guidance was updated in 2024 to include information on the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), a new law that requires employers such as DOL to provide “reasonable accommodations” to qualified employees’ or applicants’ known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless the accommodation will cause the employer an “undue hardship.”

Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 –  Under the ADEA it is unlawful to discriminate against any individual age 40 or older because of his/her age with respect to any term, condition, or privilege of employment, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, firing, promotion, layoff, compensation, benefits, job assignments, and training. The ADEA permits federal agencies to favor older workers based on age, even when doing so adversely affects a younger worker who is 40 years of age or older.
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Religious Discrimination and Accommodation in the Federal Workplace – Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII) prohibits federal agencies from discriminating against employees or applicants for employment because of their religious beliefs in hiring, firing and other terms and conditions of employment. Additionally, Title VII requires federal agencies to reasonably accommodate the religious beliefs or practices of employees or applicants unless doing so would impose an undue hardship upon the agency.
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Retaliation for Protected EEO Activity is Unlawful –  Equal employment opportunity (EEO) statutes that prohibit federal agencies, including the Department of Labor, from discriminating against employees on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, and genetic information, as well as wage differences between men and women performing substantially equal work, also prohibit retaliation against individuals who oppose unlawful discrimination or participate in an employment discrimination proceeding.
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Reasonable Accommodation Guidance –  The Department of Labor (DOL) is committed to providing individuals with disabilities equal access to all employment opportunities. As part of that commitment, DOL will provide reasonable accommodations to its employees and applicants for employment with disabilities to ensure that all individuals have the ability to participate equally and be fully successful in all aspects of DOL employment opportunities.

GINA -The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 –  EEOC's regulations implementing Title II of GINA, which prohibits discrimination in employment based on genetic information, became effective on January 10, 2011 This document provides an overview of the law so that managers and employees are generally informed about its significance in the workplace.
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English Only Rules Factsheet –  The Federal government benefits from the substantial contributions of employees who are fluent in languages other than English. In most circumstances, employees have the right to communicate in languages other than English. This right should only be curtailed in certain narrowly defined situations.
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Disclaimer: The U.S. Department of Labor, Civil Rights Center, Office of Internal Enforcement has jurisdiction (authority) to process complaints of discrimination filed by employees of the U.S. Department of Labor or applicants for employment with the U.S. Department of Labor only. Information contained herein only pertains to employees/applicants with the U.S. Department of Labor.