This Title VII compliance checklist turns the Civil Rights Act's job rules into steps for a U.S. employer owned from India or Canada. It builds on the overview and marks what is only proposed as of October 27, 2026.
What does Title VII require?
| Area | Rule |
|---|---|
| Discrimination | None in hiring, firing, pay, promotion, training, benefits or other terms of work tied to race, color, religion, sex or national origin. |
| Retaliation | None against anyone who opposes a practice they reasonably judge unlawful or files a charge. |
| Job ads | Barring a narrow job-qualification exception, no stated preference or limit tied to a protected trait. |
| Religion | Accommodate sincere practice unless it is a substantial burden in the overall context of the business (Groff v. DeJoy, June 29, 2023). |
| Pregnancy | Treat like other temporary limits on capacity to work. |
| Harassment | Reasonable prevention and prompt correction can decide liability; supervisor harassment ending in a job action is automatically the employer's. |
| Notice and records | Display the EEOC notice. Hold personnel records for 1 year, relevant ones until a charge is resolved. |
Key numbers and dates
| Item | Figure | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Charge deadline | 180 days; 300 where state or local law applies (EEOC: 300 in Illinois) | 2026 |
| Suit after EEOC notice | 90 days | statute |
| Poster fine | Up to $698 per offense | since September 30, 2025 |
Source: 42 U.S.C. 1981a(b)(3)
Recent and pending changes
- January 22, 2026: the EEOC voted to rescind its 2024 harassment guidance, 2-1; the statute is unchanged.
- October 26, 2026: DOL's rescission of its Executive Order 11246 rules took effect.
Title VII compliance checklist: the Fox River Fair-Treatment Pass
We call this yearly set the Fox River Fair-Treatment Pass.
- Count employees weekly against the 15-employee line.
- Read job ads and interview scripts for nationality or visa preferences.
- Write a complaint route and log each complaint.
- Review religious and pregnancy requests against the standards above.
- Have a second person review any firing after a complaint.
- Display the EEOC notice; keep personnel records for 1 year.
- Train managers; keep demographic data out of decisions.
Common mistakes
- No complaint route, or sitting on a complaint.
- Retaliating through schedule changes or extra scrutiny.
- Denying a Sabbath or dress request when the cost is small.
- Ads that prefer visa workers or one nationality.
- Discarding applicant files before 1 year.
When to bring in an attorney
- An Illinois Department of Human Rights or EEOC charge.
- Harassment complaints involving an owner or manager.
- A firing soon after a complaint or accommodation request.
How we can help
We handle the U.S. payroll, tax and accounting side for Aurora-area employers, working with your attorney, Canadian CPA or Indian CA. See payroll and employer compliance and bookkeeping and accounting.
Frequently asked questions
Does Title VII cover a business with fewer than 15 employees?
No, though the Equal Pay Act (part of the FLSA) and state or local law may.
How long does a worker have to file a charge?
180 days, or 300 where state or local law applies. The EEOC lists 300 in Illinois.
Can a job ad prefer applicants from India or Canada?
The EEOC says ads preferring a particular country can be discrimination; ask an attorney about the narrow exception.
Is the EEO-1 still required?
The rule is still on the books, but rescission was proposed July 23, 2026. Check the EEOC.
Official sources
- U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
- EEOC: Time limits for filing a charge
- eCFR: 29 CFR 1601.30, EEOC poster and penalty
- EEOC: EEO data collections
- Federal Register: 91 FR 46332, EEO-1 rescission proposal (July 23, 2026)
This page summarizes public guidance in plain language. If anything here differs from the official source, the official source controls.