Which of the following categories is explicitly protected under Title VII?

• A. Age
• B. Race
• C. Disability
• D. Salary

Answer: (B)

Race is protected under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which bars discrimination in employment based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. This means decisions about hiring, firing, pay, promotions, and other terms of employment cannot be made because of a person’s race. Age and disability are covered by other laws (age by the Age Discrimination in Employment Act and disability by the Americans with Disabilities Act), so they aren’t the categories Title VII explicitly lists. Salary isn’t a protected class itself, though pay discrimination can still violate the law if it’s tied to a protected characteristic. So the best answer is race, because it’s the category explicitly protected by Title VII.