Federal law prohibits employers from firing employees based on a protected characteristic such as race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age (if the employee is at least 40), disability, citizenship status, or genetic information. However, only employers with a minimum number of employees must comply with these laws (for example, most types of discrimination are prohibited if an employer has at least 15 employees). It is best to contact an employment attorney to discuss your individual case and how the law applies. Laws also prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age (40 or over), genetic information, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship status, military status, unfavorable military discharge, gender identity, arrest record, being a victim of domestic violence, or being protected by an order of protection. If you are fired for complaining about discrimination, or for participating in an investigation of a discriminat...