DISCRIMINATION MENU

Discrimination

Discrimination

Discriminatory practices under [Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)] also include (1) harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or age; (2) retaliation against an individual for filing a charge of discrimination, participating in an investigation, or opposing discriminatory practices; (3) employment decisions based on stereotypes or assumptions about the abilities, traits, or performance of individuals of a certain sex, race, age, religion, or ethnic group, or individuals with disabilities; and (4) denying employment opportunities to a person because of marriage to, or association with, an individual of a particular race, religion, national origin, or an individual with a disability. Title VII also prohibits discrimination because of participation in schools or places of worship associated with a particular racial, ethnic, or religious group. Title VII prohibits not only intentional discrimination, but also practices that have the effect of discriminating against individuals because of their race, color, national origin, religion, or sex.

- U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (2004)


Many people who do not understand mental health think that there is something shameful about this type of illness. This “stigma” that surrounds mental illnesses can stop people from getting an education, a home, and a job.  The following links can help you learn more about what can be done to prevent discrimination based on a disability, such as a mental illness.


More resources on discrimination
Insurance Discrimination and Mental Health Parity

“Parity” refers to the effort to treat mental health financing on the same basis as financing for general health services. In recent years advocates have repeatedly tried to expand mental health coverage—in the face of cost-containment policies that have been widespread since the 1980s. Parity legislation is an effort to address at once both the adverse selection problem and the fairness problem associated with moral hazard. The fundamental motivation behind parity legislation is the desire to cover mental illness on the same basis as somatic illness, that is, to cover mental illness fairly. A parity mandate requires all insurers in a market to offer the same coverage, equivalent to the coverage for all other disorders.  ... evidence of the effects of parity laws shows that their costs are minimal.
From Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General

Mental Health Parity Resources