The short answer to the question, “who is protected from workplace discrimination” can be summed up in one word: everyone. While you may not have a legitimate discrimination case on your hands if your boss fires you because he doesn’t like you personally, you can take action against him if he doesn’t like you because you fall into one of the “protected categories”.
Protected categories of discrimination include broad generalizations like gender, meaning that everyone, everywhere, is protected from workplace discrimination. Men can be discriminated against just like women can. But there are other protected categories like sexual orientation, race, religion, disability, and pregnancy. All of these categories are protected by anti-discrimination laws in the United States. Of course, there are many different laws that cover each of these categories and the discrimination must first be proved in a court of law before justice can be served, but have no fear: you are protected.
