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Virgin Islands (VI) Job Discrimination Law in the Workplace

September 22nd, 2006 Posted by Rachel

Living and working in The Virgin Islands you are afforded the right to be from discrimination and harassment in the course of employment by the US federal statutes. In the past, discrimination and the lack of enforcement have been a problem in the Islands. There has been a lot of confusion regarding the regulation and enforcement of discrimination laws for both employees and employers. The state offers no protection for employees against retaliation by employers if they complain about discrimination or assist in a complaint. In 2001 a local Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) office was opened and they put heavy emphasis on shielding workers from employer retaliation.

The federal statutes that are covered under Virgin Islands (VI) job discrimination law in the workplace are Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin and applies to hiring, promotion, discharge, pay, fringe benefits, job training, classification, referral, and other aspects of employment. Along these lines is the Equal Pay Act that says gender alone cannot be a factor when it comes to pay, benefits or other terms that are offered through the course of employment. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 protects certain applicants and employees 40 years of age and older from discrimination on the basis of age. Employers cannot show a preference when advertising or recruiting for a job, nor can they deny promotions or try to force early retirement based on the age of an individual.

Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits employers from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities and is enforced through Virgin Islands (VI) job discrimination law in the workplace. Employers should make reasonable accommodations whenever possible so that someone who is disabled may have the same opportunities as any one else.