Please review the information below as well as the information on the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity page and then return to the workplace harassment prevention course tab.
Harassment and discrimination based on a protected characteristic are prohibited under both federal and state law. The federal government and most state governments have agencies that help employers and employees understand these legal requirements and ensure compliance with the laws.
Harassment or discrimination based on any characteristic set forth below is prohibited under state law in Montana.
race
color
national origin
ancestry
sex (including pregnancy)
gender identity
sexual orientation
age
genetic information
creed
mental or physical disability
marital status
religion (including all aspects of religious observance, practice and belief)
vaccination status (or possession of immunity passport)
The primary state law prohibiting employment discrimination, including harassment, is the Montana Human Rights Act.
Vaccination status was added to the Montana Human Rights Act via Montana HB0702, which was signed by the governor on May 7, 2021
An employment discrimination or harassment claim may be filed with the Montana Department of Labor & Industry’s Human Rights Bureau, and/or the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, depending on the employer’s size and the protected characteristic on which the claim is based. More information on federal law prohibiting employment discrimination and harassment is available on the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity page.
Employer retaliation against an employee who files a discrimination or harassment complaint or is involved in the complaint process is unlawful.
The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only.
It does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice.