An employer must follow anti-discrimination laws during the entire hiring process, from placing an ad to conducting an interview and selecting an employee. Federal, state and local laws prohibit discrimination in employment, including hiring a new employee. Federal employees prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender, race, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability and religion. If you are an employer with at least 15 employees you must follow these laws.

Many state and local laws also ban workplace discrimination. These laws tend to cover small employees and may include additional types of discrimination including marital status, weight and sexual orientation. To learn about these anti-discrimination laws, contact your state labor department or small business bureau.