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Charlotte, NC 28262
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1. Can I be discriminated against because my spouse and friends are of different nationalities?
No. The law prohibits discrimination based on your association with someone of a different national origin.
For example, if you are a Caucasian U.S. citizen, but your spouse and most of your friends are Middle Eastern, you may not be discriminated against because of your association with people of Middle Eastern origin, and may have a valid discrimination claim if you can prove you were discriminated against for this reason.
2. Can I be discriminated against because of the color of my skin?
No. Title VII specifically prohibits employment discrimination based on color, as well as race, religion, sex, and national origin. Whether you suffer discrimination due to skin color typically associated with your race or national origin, or are harassed due to a skin color not typical for your race or national origin, both are against the law.
3. Can an employer choose employees of one national origin over another?
In some limited circumstances, employers are allowed to prefer one national origin to another. This is allowed only when national origin is what is called a "bona fide occupational qualification" for the position, which means that belonging to a certain national origin is necessary for the job.
For example, being of Latin origin might be a bona fide occupational qualification for a role in a movie featuring a Cuban family. Circumstances in which preferences for one national origin are allowed are very rare. The employer must be able to demonstrate the position has special qualifications that only members of one national origin can fulfill.
"We never asked for this system; it was imposed on us. Now, they are mismanaging our money--not appropriations or donations, but our own money--and we can't fire them. . . . All that's going to change. We are not going to let them off the hook. There has to be reform and restitution. There has to be justice. "
–Louise Sahagun, Tangled Trust Earns Wrath of Native Americans
from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics