The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) prohibits discrimination in its employment practices on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (gender, pregnancy, sexual harassment, sexual orientation, gender identity or transgender status), religion, age (40 and over), disability (mental/physical), equal pay compensation, genetic information and retaliation. This is in accordance with:
Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, as amended, (Title VII), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Equal Pay Act, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; and Executive Orders 13087, 13152, and 13145, Title II of the Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (effective November 21, 2009).
DOT also works to ensure that its funding recipients do not discriminate against persons who use their services based on such factors as race, color, national origin, age, or disability. DOT recipients include state departments of transportation, state motor vehicle administrations, airport operators, metropolitan planning organizations, and regional, state, and local transit operators, among many others. Examples of nondiscrimination laws and executive orders enforced by DOT that cover members of the public include:
- Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
- Section 504 the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
- Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act
- Age Discrimination Act of 1975
- Executive Order 12898, Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations
- Executive Order 13166, Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency
Some laws apply specifically to DOT's own programs (and not its recipients) and cover both DOT employees and members of the public. For example, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, as amended, requires that Federal agencies' electronic and information technology is accessible to people with disabilities. Executive Order 13160 prohibits discrimination in federally conducted education and training programs. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and amendments prohibit discrimination against persons with disabilities by Federal agencies and their funding recipients in any program or activity.