A protected class is a group of people that are protected by the law from discrimination. In California and in federal courts, protected classifications include those classifications that you can't really change about yourself, such as age, marital status, gender, national origin, race, pregnancy status, familial status, those types of things that somebody has inherently and that the law protects is called a protected class.
It's important that you speak with an attorney to determine whether or not the characteristics that you're being discriminated against falls into one of these protected classes.
You can belong to more than one
Many employees fall into several protected categories at once — for instance, age, national origin, and sex could all be relevant to the same decision. A discrimination claim doesn't require picking just one trait; the real reason behind a decision is often layered, and a case can rest on that combination rather than any single characteristic alone.
There's also a separate idea worth knowing: protected activity. Being in a protected class is about who you are. Protected activity is about what you do, like reporting harassment, requesting a disability accommodation, or taking family leave. Retaliation for protected activity is illegal even when no protected-class claim is involved at all.
Why the distinction matters
How a case gets framed changes what evidence matters most. A protected-class claim often turns on how similarly situated coworkers outside that class were treated, while a retaliation claim turns more on timing. An attorney can help sort out which theory actually fits your situation.
More questions, answered.
Other videos on this topic. Watch one, then tell us what happened.
Can I sue my employer for discrimination?
Watch the answer
What does a disability discrimination lawyer do?
Watch the answer
How can a Los Angeles disability discrimination lawyer help with my case?
Watch the answer
How can a Los Angeles employment discrimination lawyer help with my case?
Watch the answer
What does an attorney for employment discrimination do?
Watch the answer
Why should I hire a Los Angeles disability discrimination attorney?
Watch the answer
Tell us what happened. We read it free.
Send it in a sentence or two. If there’s a case, we’ll tell you what it is and what to do next. If there isn’t, we’ll tell you that too — straight, and at no cost.
Prefer to talk? Call (424) 255-8376 — a real person answers.