Federal Civil Rights Laws

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Federal civil rights laws condition the receipt of federal financial assistance on a recipients compliance with the mandate to not discriminate in programs or activities. NC State receives "federal financial assistance" from the USDA through competitive and capacity grant programs including HATCH, Smith Lever, and EFNEP.  As such, the entire College of Agriculture of Life Sciences is subject to the applicable provisions of these statutes and their implementing regulations.


Federal civil rights laws provide that no person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age, be subject to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.


Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VI

Prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance.

Education Amendments of 1972, Title IX

Prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.

Age Discrimination Act of 1975

Prohibits discrimination on the basis of age in programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance.

Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504

Prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs receiving federal financial assistance.

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Title II

Requires state/local governments to give people with disabilities an equal opportunity to benefit from all of their programs, services, and activities.

Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act of 2022

Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to expand access to breastfeeding accommodations in the workplace, and for other purposes.

Executive Order 14151, Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing

This order directed the termination of all DEI and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) mandates, programs, and related contracts within the federal government.

Executive Order 14173, Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity

This order rescinded prior affirmative action requirements for federal contractors under Executive Order 11246.

Executive Order 14168, Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism

This order defined "sex" based on biology and sought to eliminate gender identity protections within the federal government, while promoting a return to single-sex spaces.

Executive Order 13899, Combating Anti-Semitism

This order established the policy of the executive branch to enforce Title VI against prohibited forms of discrimination rooted in anti-Semitism as vigorously as against all other forms of discrimination prohibited by Title VI.

Executive Order 14188, Additional Measures to Combat Anti-Semitism

This order established that it shall be the policy of the United States to combat anti-Semitism vigorously, using all available and appropriate legal tools, to prosecute, remove, or otherwise hold to account the perpetrators of unlawful anti-Semitic harassment and violence.

Executive Order 14201, Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports

This order protects opportunities for women and girls to compete in safe and fair sport.

Executive Order 14224, Designating English as the Official Language of the United States

This order designates English as the official language of the United States.

Executive Order 14398: Addressing DEI Discrimination by Federal Contractors

It is the policy of the United States to promote economy and efficiency in Federal contracting by preventing racial discrimination.

For additional information:

The USDA Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (OASCR), through its Center for Civil Rights Enforcement, processes all formal complaints from persons alleging discrimination in USDA’s federally assisted programs.

USDA regulations and directives provide guidance on the implementation of federal nondiscrimination laws.