Federal Law Reference for Women's Rights
MILITARY & FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT
Federal law governs employment protections, anti-discrimination standards, and leave entitlements for women in the U.S. military and federal civilian workforce. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the EEOC administer key programs.
Title VII — Federal Sector Employment
42 U.S.C. § 2000e-16
Extends Title VII protections to federal civilian employees, prohibiting sex, race, color, religion, and national origin discrimination by federal agencies. Federal employees must exhaust an administrative process through their agency's Equal Employment Opportunity office before filing in federal court.
Military Equal Opportunity Policy
10 U.S.C. § 1561; DoD Directive 1350.2
Department of Defense policy prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, and sex within the military. The DoD Military Equal Opportunity program provides complaint processes and oversight. Women became eligible for all combat roles in January 2016 following a DoD policy change.
Military Parental Leave Program
10 U.S.C. § 701(i)
Active duty service members are entitled to 12 weeks of paid parental leave following the birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child, and 21 days of leave for non-primary caregivers. Leave policies apply to all service branches.
Military Sexual Trauma (MST) and VA Benefits
38 U.S.C. § 1720D
Veterans who experienced Military Sexual Trauma — sexual assault or repeated, threatening sexual harassment during military service — are entitled to receive free related mental health treatment through the VA, regardless of discharge status, length of service, or whether they reported the incident.
Retaliation Protections — Federal Employees
5 U.S.C. § 2302 (Whistleblower Protection Act); 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-16
Federal employees are protected from retaliation for participating in EEO activity, filing complaints, or engaging in whistleblowing activity. The Office of Special Counsel and the Merit Systems Protection Board handle federal employee retaliation complaints outside the EEOC process.