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Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73not60

§2000e–3 Other Unlawful Employment Practices

Title 42 › Chapter 21— CIVIL RIGHTS › Subchapter VI— EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES › § 2000e–3

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

Makes it illegal for employers, hiring agencies, unions, or joint labor‑management training committees to punish or treat workers, job applicants, or union members badly because they opposed discrimination or because they filed a complaint, testified, helped, or took part in an investigation or hearing about discrimination. Also makes it illegal for those groups to put notices or job ads that show a preference, limit, or requirement based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The only exception is when religion, sex, or national origin is a genuine, necessary job qualification.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §2000e–3

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)It shall be an unlawful employment practice for an employer to discriminate against any of his employees or applicants for employment, for an employment agency, or joint labor-management committee controlling apprenticeship or other training or retraining, including on-the-job training programs, to discriminate against any individual, or for a labor organization to discriminate against any member thereof or applicant for membership, because he has opposed any practice made an unlawful employment practice by this subchapter, or because he has made a charge, testified, assisted, or participated in any manner in an investigation, proceeding, or hearing under this subchapter.
(b)It shall be an unlawful employment practice for an employer, labor organization, employment agency, or joint labor-management committee controlling apprenticeship or other training or retraining, including on-the-job training programs, to print or publish or cause to be printed or published any notice or advertisement relating to employment by such an employer or membership in or any classification or referral for employment by such a labor organization, or relating to any classification or referral for employment by such an employment agency, or relating to admission to, or employment in, any program established to provide apprenticeship or other training by such a joint labor-management committee, indicating any preference, limitation, specification, or discrimination, based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, except that such a notice or advertisement may indicate a preference, limitation, specification, or discrimination based on religion, sex, or national origin when religion, sex, or national origin is a bona fide occupational qualification for employment.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1972—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 92–261, § 8(c)(1), inserted provision making it an unlawful employment practice for a joint labor-management committee controlling apprenticeship or other training or retraining, including on-the-job training programs, to discriminate against the specified individuals. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 92–261, § 8(c)(2), inserted provisions making prohibitions applicable to joint labor-management committees controlling apprenticeship or other training or retraining, including on-the-job training programs, and notices or advertisements of such joint labor-management committees relating to admission to, or employment in, any program established to provide apprenticeship or other training.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 2000e–3

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60