Louisiana Workplace Discrimination — Filing a Complaint
Protected classes, filing deadlines, and how to pursue a discrimination claim under Louisiana and federal law.
Protected Classes
Under Louisiana law, employers cannot discriminate based on: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age (40+), pregnancy, sickle cell trait — applies to employers with 20+ employees for most claims; pregnancy discrimination applies to employers with 25+ employees.
Federal laws (Title VII, ADA, ADEA) provide additional protections for employees of employers with 15+ employees (20+ for age discrimination).
Types of Discrimination
Filing a Discrimination Complaint
You have One-year prescriptive period to file a civil suit under the Louisiana Employment Discrimination Law; this period is suspended during any EEOC or LCHR administrative review or investigation, but the suspension may not exceed six months §23:303. Louisiana Commission on Human Rights is a deferral agency that cross-files with EEOC, extending the federal deadline to 300 days.
| Details | |
|---|---|
| State Agency | Louisiana Commission on Human Rights (LCHR) |
| Federal Agency | EEOC |
| State Deadline | One-year prescriptive period to file a civil suit under the Louisiana Employment Discrimination Law; this period is suspended during any EEOC or LCHR administrative review or investigation, but the suspension may not exceed six months §23:303 |
| Federal Deadline | 180 days (300 with deferral) [42 U.S.C. § 2000e-5] |
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Frequently Asked Questions
General answers to common questions. Specific outcomes depend on your facts and timing.
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Related guides
- One-year prescriptive period to file a civil suit under the Louisiana Employment Discrimination Law; this period is suspended during any EEOC or LCHR administrative review or investigation, but the suspension may not exceed six months