Which federal legislation prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, or national origin?

• A. Civil Rights Act
• B. Equal Employment Opportunity Act
• C. Affordable Care Act
• D. Labor Standards Act

Answer: (A)

This question tests knowledge of which federal law protects employees from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, or national origin. The Civil Rights Act, specifically Title VII, bans employment decisions—like hiring, firing, pay, and terms and conditions of work—made because of those protected characteristics. Pregnancy is included because of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978, which amended the Civil Rights Act to explicitly prohibit discrimination on the basis of pregnancy and related medical conditions. That combination is what covers all the listed categories in the question.

The other options don’t fit as well. The Equal Employment Opportunity Act strengthens the EEOC’s enforcement authority but does not itself enumerate protected classes. The Affordable Care Act focuses on health care reform, not discrimination in employment. The Labor Standards Act (often known as the Fair Labor Standards Act) governs minimum wage and overtime, not anti-discrimination in the workplace.