Seattle to add Employment Protections to Caste

Seattle has long been at the vanguard of protecting employee rights. The Seattle Fair Employment Practices Ordinance was initially passed in 1963 and has been amended several times since then to expand the categories of those employees protected by the ordinance and to strengthen the remedies available to employees when the ordinance is violated.

Presently, the ordinance applies to employers with one or more employees and prohibits discrimination in all aspects of employment, including hiring, firing, promotions, compensation, training, and benefits. Protected classes under the ordinance are race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, political ideology, age, marital status, or presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability. On February 21, 2022, the Seattle City Council voted to add caste to the list of protected classes.

Caste discrimination refers to the unequal treatment and marginalization of individuals or groups based on their social status or caste. It is a form of social discrimination that has its roots in the Hindu caste which has been prevalent in South Asia for centuries. In the caste system, people are divided into different societal groups based on their birth and occupation. The higher castes enjoy privileges and advantages, while those from lower castes may be subjected to social, economic, and political discrimination. Caste discrimination is illegal in many South Asian countries, including India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Seattle is now the first city in the United States for add caste to the list of protected classes.