If you’ve ever read through your employee manual or the poster in your workplace breakroom detailing your rights, then you’re likely to have seen the terminology Title VII. This refers to a portion of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Virtually every employer in this country must abide by this federal law. It protects you from discrimination based on disability, gender, religion, race or national origin. It also protects you from facing discrimination based on your sexual orientation and if you become a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking.

Title VII’s prohibition of sex-based discrimination of all kinds

A 2012 statement issued by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) affirmed that Title VII makes it unlawful for employers to terminate their workers after learning that an employee secured a protection order against a partner of fell victim to domestic violence.

Employers have been known to take negative action against a victimized employee because they don’t want “trouble from home” following that employee to work. This is particularly true when the employee’s abusive partner or spouse has come to their workplace.

EEOC officials have since gone on to clarify further that  Title VII protects anyone who suffers physical or emotional scars due to domestic violence. The federal agency notes that the Civil Rights Act prohibits employers from firing workers who suffer disfigurements or require counseling to address abuse concerns.

Did your employer violate your Title VII rights?

Many toxic or hostile work environments persist because victims don’t feel empowered to come forward and confront their employers when there’s been a violation of their rights. You owe it to yourself and those employees who come behind you to hold your employer accountable for their unlawful treatment of you so that they don’t mistreat anyone else.