Introduction to Employment Discrimination Law
This professional course explores the fundamentals of employment discrimination law, covering federal statutes & strategies to avoid transgressions.
Employment discrimination law has forever changed the way employers behave toward their employees. The rise of this body of law is intertwined with the rise of the HR profession. In this course, you will learn the basics of employment discrimination law as it is laid out in federal statutes, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which protects employees against discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, and religion, and related laws such as the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the many state laws that operate in tandem. We will consider what these laws prohibit, how courts decide whether the laws were violated, and what employers can do to avoid violating them.
"The Employment Discrimination course was both eye-opening and essential. This topic is crucial for any HR leader, and the program addressed it with the depth and sensitivity it deserves."
Kristine Fisher (Pathways '24)
Academic & Faculty Affairs Manager
UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine
"Professor Fishkin held very interactive discussion regarding case study and how it applies in HR practice, which is beneficial in shaping culture and best practices to prevent discrimination and promote effective disability compliance."
Tami Sivils (Pathways '24)
HR Administrator
West Kern Water District
Program Details
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2026 Session Dates:
- April-May, 2027 Dates TBD
Session Time: 6:00p-8:00p PT, 1-2x per week
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All sessions will be held live online via Zoom.
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Session 1: Disparate Treatment
- Intro: What forms of discrimination do federal and state law prohibit?
- What is disparate treatment?
Session 2: Disparate Impact
- What is disparate impact?
- How does one avoid engaging in disparate treatment and disparate impact discrimination?
Session 3: Reasonable Accommodation for Disability and Religion
- Who is entitled to reasonable accommodation under law?
- What kinds of accommodations are reasonable?
Session 4: Harassment
- What counts as harassment and when are employers liable for it?
- What does the law want employers and employees do to prevent harassment?
Session 5: Retaliation
- When are employees protected against retaliation for complaining about what they see as discrimination?
- What should employers do to prevent retaliation against employees?
Session 6: Voluntary Compliance, Affirmative Action, and Diversity Programs
- What forms of affirmative action are currently allowed under the law?
- Where is the law of diversity and affirmative action headed in the future?
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Joseph Fishkin, D. Phil., J.D.
Professor of Law
Expert in Employment, Election, and Constitutional LawJoseph Fishkin is a Professor of Law at UCLA School of Law, where he teaches and writes about employment discrimination law, election law, constitutional law, education law, fair housing law, poverty and inequality, and distributive justice. Before joining the UCLA faculty he taught for a decade at the University of Texas School of Law, where he was the Marrs McLean Professor in Law; he was also a visiting professor at Yale Law School. Read his full bio here.
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Certificate of Completion
Participants who complete all required course elements will receive a certificate of completion from UCLA Law Executive Education.
MCLE
UCLA School of Law is a State Bar of California approved MCLE provider. This session has requested MCLE credit for 12 hours and is currently pending approval.
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Pathways to HR Executive Participants: Included
Early Registration Deadline (by February 1st, 2027): $1,500
$2,000