A class of people who benefit from protection by statute, such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race, sex, national origin, or religion. [Cases: Civil Rights 1007, 1107, 1152, 1165. C.J.S. Civil Rights §§ 2–5, 7–9, 11–13, 18, 22, 26–27, 30–31, 33–37, 41–42, 44, 67, 88.]
protected class 〈美〉受保护阶层 根据1964年《民权法》〔Civil Rights Act〕，指基于种族、性别、出生地、宗教等受到法律特别保护的群体。
trademark class. Any one of 42 international trademark-protection categories, each comprising similar goods or services. • There are 34 goods classes and 8 services classes. A trademark is protected in each class that is relevant to the product’s or service’s business area.
discrimination n. 区别对待；歧视 就其作为中性词而言，discrimination(区别对待)是大多数法的目的。法律旨在将善行〔good or useful conduct〕与恶行〔harmful conduct〕分别开来。因而，通常必须将允许或禁止从事某一行为的人进行区分，例如，某些人饮酒有害，法律规定青少年不得饮酒。就本质而言，区别对待并非违宪。不过discrimination在目前的用法中，非指中性，而常被用作贬义。它指授予某些人特权或因种族、年龄、性别、民族、信仰或残疾剥夺某些人权利的法律或惯例的后果，或者指没有正当理由，不平等地对待各方。美国联邦法律、法院判例和州法禁止因种族、年龄、性别、民族等在僱佣、选举、公共教育、信贷〔extension of credit〕、住房〔housing〕等方面实行歧视待遇。 (→bias; disparate treatment; equal protection clause; equal protection of the laws; invidious discrimination; price discrimination; protected class; reverse discrimination)
sexual orientation. A person’s predisposition or inclination toward a particular type of sexual activity or behavior; heterosexuality, homosexuality, or bisexuality. • There has been a trend in recent years to make sexual orientation a protected class, esp. in employment and hate-crime statutes. [Cases: Civil Rights 1012, 1191. C.J.S. Civil Rights §§ 2, 6–7, 9–10, 19,
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Robbery committed by a person who either carries a dangerous weapon — often called armed robbery — or inflicts bodily harm on someone during the robbery. • Some statutes also specify that a robbery is aggravated when the victim is a member of a protected class, such as children or the elderly. [Cases: Robbery 11.
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An employment qualification that, although it may discriminate against a protected class (such as sex, religion, or national origin), relates to an essential job duty and is considered reasonably necessary to the operation of the particular business. • Such a qualification is not illegal under federal employment-discrimination laws. — Abbr. BFOQ. [Cases: Civil Rights 1118,
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bona fide occupational qualification. An employment qualification that, although it may discriminate against a protected class (such as sex, religion, or national origin), relates to an essential job duty and is considered reasonably necessary to the operation of the particular business. • Such a qualification is not illegal under federal employment-discrimination laws. — Abbr. BFOQ.
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robbery, n. The illegal taking of property from the person of another, or in the person’s presence, by violence or intimidation; aggravated larceny. • Robbery is usu. a felony, but some jurisdictions classify some robberies as high misdemeanors. — Also termed (in Latin) crimen roberiae. See LARCENY; THEFT. Cf. BURGLARY. [Cases: Robbery 1. C.J.S. Robbery
database. A compilation of information arranged in a systematic way and offering a means of finding specific elements it contains, often today by electronic means. • Unless the information itself is original, a database is not protected by U.S. copyright law. Elsewhere, it may be protected as a distinct class of “literary works,” or it