Which of the following is NOT protected under the EEOC?

Marital status is not among the categories protected under the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) laws. The EEOC enforces federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee based on several specific characteristics. These protected categories include race, color, national origin, sex, disability, and religion. Age is also protected under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) for individuals 40 years of age or older, and gender discrimination is similarly covered under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

In contrast, marital status does not have the same federal protections under EEOC regulations. While some states and local jurisdictions may have laws that protect against discrimination on the basis of marital status, this is not a universal right and is not enforced at the federal level by the EEOC. Thus, choosing marital status as the answer accurately reflects the distinctions in legal protections provided by the EEOC.