National Origin Discrimination

National origin discrimination is prohibited under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (“Title VII”) and the Illinois Human Rights Act (“IHRA”).

National Origin Discrimination at Work

Under both laws, no one can be denied equal employment opportunities because of his or her birthplace, ancestry, culture, language, or accent. Notably, Title VII and many other anti-discrimination laws prohibit discrimination against any employee employed in the United States, regardless of citizenship status.

Examples of national origin discrimination include:

English-Only Rules

A rule requiring employees to only speak English must be adopted for non-discriminatory reasons. For instance, it is permissible for an employer to require employees to speak English if it is a business necessity that is needed for an employer to operate safely or efficiently.

English Fluency

Similar to English-only rules, a fluency requirement is only legal if it is adopted for non-discriminatory reasons and is necessary in order for the job position to be performed effectively.

Accent discrimination

An employer cannot base an employment decision on an applicant or employee’s accent unless it materially interferes with his or her job performance.

National Origin Harassment of Employees

Title VII also prohibits harassment on the basis of national origin. Such harassment may include offensive or derogatory remarks about a person’s national origin, accent or ethnicity. In order to be actionable, the harassment must be so frequent or severe that it creates a hostile or offensive work environment or result in an adverse employment decision (such as being fired or demoted).

Damages and Coverage for National Origin Discrimination Under Federal and Illinois Law

Title VII applies to employers (including employment agencies and unions) with 15 or more employees, and to federal, state, and local governments. Employees who are victims of national origin discrimination under Title VII may be entitled to recover compensatory and punitive damages as well as back pay, reinstatement or front pay, and attorneys’ fees and costs. Importantly, Title VII places caps on the sum of compensatory and punitive damages for which an employer may be liable. The caps are based on the size of the employer’s workforce:

Employer Size

Compensatory Damages

Punitive Damages

15 - 100 employees

$50,000

$50,000

101 - 200 employees

$100,000

$100,000

201 - 500 employees

$200,000

$200,000

501 or more employees

$300,000

$300,000

Unlike Title VII, the Illinois Human Rights Act (“IHRA”) does not place caps on the amount of damages that are recoverable under the Act. With regard to national origin discrimination, the IHRA applies to employers with 15 or more employees in the state of Illinois, public contractors, and state governmental units.

Contact our Chicago National Origin Discrimination Lawyers

If you believe that you have been the victim of national origin discrimination at work, you must file a Charge of Discrimination within time limits before filing a civil lawsuit. We encourage you to contact our Chicago workplace discrimination attorneys to set up a free consultation in time to learn about your rights and options under the law.