Common Types of Workplace Discrimination

Discrimination in the workplace remains a significant issue in the US. It affects employees at different stages of employment. From hiring to pay and promotions, work assignments, discipline, and termination.

In fiscal year 2025, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) received 88,201 new discrimination charges and resolved 90,743 charges.

EEOC lawsuits filed in 2025 included claims involving sex or pregnancy discrimination, disability, retaliation, religion, age, race, and national origin. Among the 94 merits lawsuits filed by the EEOC, discharge or constructive discharge was alleged in 64 cases, while harassment was alleged in 29 cases.

Employees may need assistance to understand their rights, according to a workplace discrimination lawyer. If an employee is facing such discrimination, having a legal professional can help review the facts of your situation.

Let’s take a closer look at the most common types of workplace discrimination.

The Foundation Is a Protected Characteristic

There is no prohibition against discriminatory treatment under federal or state law. Discriminatory treatment must be based on a particular protected characteristic to distinguish between discriminatory treatment and the everyday difficulties that are caused by a difficult boss or bad decisions.

The typical characteristics protected under the laws include race, sex, age, disability, religion, national origin, and pregnancy. And among other characteristics are sexual orientation and marital status.

Distinguishing between discriminatory treatment and regular grievances is important. An employer has the right to make very tough and possibly unjust decisions without considering a protected characteristic at all, and such decisions are not likely to constitute an illegal act regardless of the injustice felt.

Once the protected characteristic becomes the basis of the decision-making, everything changes legally.

Age, Disability, and Pregnancy Discrimination Each Follow Their Own Legal Framework

In the US, federal age-discrimination law generally protects workers and job applicants who are 40 years of age or older. This can be recognized in instances such as layoffs targeting older individuals or recruitment that clearly favors young candidates.

Disability discrimination is not just based on a disability but also the refusal of an employer to make reasonable accommodation. This appears to be a rejection of the employee to be able to do work.

Pregnancy discrimination is considered to be a type of sex discrimination and encompasses all situations where a person was discriminated against during her pregnancy, including but not limited to denial of a promotion, demotion, or termination because of being pregnant.

Discrimination Based on Race, National Origin, and Religion

Race and national origin discrimination may take the form of direct discrimination, disparate treatment, or exclusion from opportunities; however, it takes the form of something more subtle, workplace policies that seem neutral on their face, yet unfairly affect a certain group of employees.

Religious discrimination involves both direct discrimination on account of one’s religion and the denial of a religious accommodation, a concept that is similar in structure to disability accommodation law.

Harassment and Retaliation Are Distinct Categories, Not Just Symptoms

However, it should be noted that the issue of hostile work environment should have its own consideration since it is not just about the perception of how bad the work environment may seem.

In order for the working environment to be characterized as hostile, there must be some form of behavior linked with the protected characteristic that changes the terms of employment.

Retaliation should be considered separately from the other kinds of workplace discrimination, but it is one of the most underestimated violations in this case. When an employer punishes an employee for complaining about the discrimination, participating in the investigation of the case, or opposing it, another violation occurs regardless of whether there actually was discrimination or not.

Recent National Data Shows the Scale of the Problem

Statistics on federal enforcement provide some indication of how prevalent these problems are at the national level. For example, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission processed 88,531 discrimination claims in fiscal year 2024, which represents a 9 percent increase from the previous year, and a significant number of those cases included harassment claims.

Deadlines Vary Significantly by State and Category

One of the more consequential details in any discrimination claim is the filing deadline, and it varies depending on the state and whether the claim proceeds at the federal or state level. Missing the applicable deadline can bar a claim entirely, regardless of how strong the underlying evidence is.

A detailed breakdown of the discrimination statute of limitations in California illustrates just how significantly these deadlines can shift over time. California extended its state filing deadline from one year to three years through legislation enacted in 2019, a change that dramatically lengthened the window compared to both the state’s prior rule and the shorter federal deadline that still applies to certain claims.

The Practical Reality

Workplace discrimination is rarely a single incident but a pattern. And recognizing this gives an understanding of which legal category that pattern actually falls into since each carries its own elements and its own path to a remedy. It may be direct discrimination, failure to accommodate, hostile environment, or retaliation.

Considering how varied the deadlines for filing can be based on state and category, receiving an exact response regarding the amount of time left to respond is crucial to determine if anything illegal has even occurred at all.

This post may contain affiliate links.

More Recommended Ebike/Scooters

Check out these other ebikes and scooters I've reviewed:

Urban Arrow Ebike – Last year, I made one of the largest purchases I’ve ever made – I bought a $9,000 electric cargo bike from Urban Arrow. In my Urban Arrow review, I will discuss what it is and why I decided to buy this bike, as well as discuss how impactful a bike like this can be on your journey to financial independence.
Troxus Explorer Step-Thru Ebike – The Troxus Explorer Step-Thru is a fat-tire ebike that I’ve had the pleasure of riding for a while now. It has amazing power, great looks, and awesome range. If you’re looking for a great fat-tire ebike that offers a lot for the price, the Troxus Explorer Step-Thru is definitely one for you to consider. Check out my Troxus Explorer Step-Thru Review.
Hovsco HovBeta Ebike – The HovBeta is a folding ebike with great specs and a lot of interesting features, and importantly, it’s sold at a good price point. I’ve had a blast commuting with it and using it to do deliveries with DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. Check out my Hovsco HovBeta Ebike Review.
Vanpowers Manidae Ebike – The Vanpowers Manidae is a fat tire ebike that I’ve been riding as my primary winter commuting bike and have also been using it to do food delivery with apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. After clocking in a decent number of miles with this ebike, I wanted to write a post sharing what my experience with the Vanpowers Manidae ebike has been like. Check out my Vanpowers Manidae Review.
Sohamo S3 Step-Thru Folding EBike Review – A Great Value Folding Ebike – The Sohamo S3 Step-Thru Folding Ebike is an entry-level folding ebike that offers a lot of value for the price point. I’ve been riding the Sohamo S3 for a while now, putting the bike through its paces, and I have to say, this bike has exceeded all of my expectations. Check out my Sohamo Review.
KBO Flip Ebike – The KBO Flip is an excellent bike. I’ve had a great time riding it and think it’s a versatile bike that can be used for a lot of purposes and can fit a variety of lifestyles. It’s worked out great for me as a general commuter bike and as a food delivery bike. Check out my KBO Flip Review.
Hiboy P7 Commuter Ebike – The Hiboy P7 is an excellent electric commuter bike that’s offered at an affordable price point. The range and speed of this bike are both very good, so you won’t have any trouble getting anywhere you need to go with it. As a food delivery vehicle, this is also good – with how much range it offers, you’ll be able to work all day on a single charge. Check out my Hiboy P7 Commuter Electric Bike Review.
Himiway Escape Ebike – The Himiway Escape is an interesting bike for anyone looking for a moped-style ebike. If you’re a gig economy worker, the Himiway Escape is particularly interesting and it’s possible to think of it as an investment, especially if you can opt to do deliveries with the Himiway versus using a car. It’s not cheap, but you can definitely make your money back when you compare the mileage you’ll put on your car versus using an ebike. Check out my Himiway Escape Bike Review.
Espin Sport Ebike – The Espin Sport is a good ebike for someone who is looking for an ebike that feels and rides more like a regular bike. There are many ebikes that are really only bikes in name. In reality, they’re basically electric mopeds. The Espin Sport, by contrast, is a bike you could probably ride without the battery and you’d feel like you’re just riding a regular bike. Check out my Espin Sport Review.
Varla Eagle One Scooter – The Varla Eagle One is an excellent scooter that can make sense for a lot of people. It can work as a primary mode of transportation. You can use it to work on gig economy apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. And it can also be a recreational vehicle if you’d prefer to use it for that. Check out my Varla Eagle One Review.
Varla Falcon Scooter – The Varla Falcon is an excellent scooter that offers a good amount of power at a lower price point compared to more powerful scooters. It’s not exactly an entry-level scooter, nor is it a high-powered scooter. I think it fits somewhere in-between those two categories – an intermediate scooter if I had to give it a category. Check out my Varla Falcon Review.
Hiboy S2 Scooter – The Hiboy S2 is an excellent entry-level commuter scooter that's perfect for someone looking to save some money in transportation costs and improve their commute. Check out my Hiboy S2 Review.
Hiboy S2R Scooter – The Hiboy S2R is one of the more interesting electric scooters I’ve been able to test out. It’s not a high-powered scooter, but for an everyday transport option, it’s very useful, especially given some of the unique features that it has. Indeed, for the price, the Hiboy S2R might be the best value scooter I’ve used. Check out my Hiboy S2R Review.
Fucare H3 Scooter – The Fucare H3 is a fun scooter and I’ve enjoyed testing it out. For a daily commuter or quick trips or errands, the Fucare H3 is probably the scooter I’ll use. It’s portable and easy to maneuver, so it’s just easier to take on the road when I need it. Check out my Fucare H3 Scooter Review.

More Recommended Investing App Bonuses

For additional investing app bonuses, be sure to check out the ones below:

M1 Finance ($75) – This is a great robo-advisor that has no fees and allows you to create a customized portfolio based on your risk tolerance. You also get $75 for opening an account. Check out my M1 Finance Referral Bonus – Step-By-Step Guide.
SoFi Invest ($25) – SoFi Invest is an easy brokerage account bonus that you can earn with just a few minutes of work. Use my SoFi Invest referral link, fund your SoFi Invest brokerage account with just $10 and you’ll get $25 of free stock. I also have a step-by-step guide for the SoFi Invest referral bonus.
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More Recommended Bank Account Bonuses

If you’re looking for more easy bank bonuses, check out the below options. These bonuses are all easy to earn and have no fees or minimum balance requirements to worry about.

Ally Bank ($100) – Of all the banks out there, Ally is, without a doubt, my favorite. At the moment, Ally is offering $100 to customers who open an eligible Ally account and meet the requirements. Here are the step-by-step directions to earn your Ally Bank referral bonus.
Chime ($100) - Chime is a free bank account that offers a referral bonus if you use a referral link and complete a direct deposit of $200 or more. In practice, any ACH transfer into this account triggers the bonus. This bonus is easy to earn and posts instantly, so you’ll know if you met the requirements as soon as you move money into the account. I wrote a step-by-step guide on how to earn your Chime referral bonus that I recommend you check out.
US Bank Business ($400/$1200) – This is a fairly easy bank bonus to earn, since there are no direct deposit requirements. In addition, you can open the Silver Business Checking account, which comes with no monthly fees. Check out how to earn this big bonus here.
Current ($50) – Current is a free fintech bank that’s offering new users a $50 referral bonus after signing up for an account using a referral link. Current is an easy bonus to earn and also gives you access to three savings accounts that pay you 4% interest on up to $2,000. That means you can put away up to $6,000 earning 4% interest. That’s very good and makes Current an account I recommend to everyone. Check out my step-by-step guide on how to earn your Current Bank bonus.
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Varo ($25) – Varo is a free fintech banking app similar to Chime or Current. It’s currently offering a $25 bonus to new users that open a new Varo account with a referral link. The bonus for this bank is very easy to meet, all you need to do is spend $20 within 30 days of opening your Varo account. Check out my step-by-step guide to learn how to earn this bonus.

Kevin is an attorney and the blogger behind Financial Panther, a blog about personal finance, travel hacking, and side hustling using the gig economy. He paid off $87,000 worth of student loans in just 2.5 years by choosing not to live like a big shot lawyer.

Kevin is passionate about earning money using the gig economy and you can see all the ways he makes extra income every month in his side hustle reports.

Kevin is also big on using the latest fintech apps to improve his finances. Some of Kevin's favorite fintech apps include:

SoFi Money. A really good checking account with absolutely no fees. You'll get a $25 referral bonus if you open a SoFi Money account with a referral link, and an additional $300 if you complete a direct deposit.
5% Savings Accounts. I'm currently getting 5.24% interest on my savings through a company called Raisin. Opening a Raisin account takes minutes to complete, it's free, and all of your funds are FDIC-insured. I explain how it works, why I'm now using it to store my emergency fund and any other cash savings I have, and why I recommend everyone check it out in this review.
US Bank Business. US Bank is currently offering new business customers a $400/$1200 signup bonus after opening a new account and meeting certain requirements.
M1 Finance. This is a great robo-advisor that has no fees and allows you to create a customized portfolio based on your risk tolerance. You also get $75 for opening an account.
Empower. One of best free apps you can use to monitor your portfolio and track your net worth. This is one of the apps I use to track my financial accounts.

Feel free to send Kevin a message here.