Which of the following is a protected class example?

• A. Gender/sex
• B. Salary level
• C. Job title
• D. Shift

Answer: (A)

Understanding what makes a category a protected class is the key idea. Protected classes are characteristics that laws prohibit treating someone unfavorably for, in contexts like employment and housing. Gender or sex is a protected class because discrimination based on sex is illegal under civil rights and employment laws.

The other options describe neutral work-related attributes rather than protected characteristics. Salary level, job title, and shift are about compensation, position, or scheduling and can be adjusted for legitimate business reasons. They aren’t themselves protected classes, even though discrimination based on them could raise separate legal concerns if tied to a protected characteristic.