Arizona includes sexual orientation as a protected group covered by its hate crimes law.

"So any time I have a member of a protected group come in as a customer, I'm happy."

The law may identify a protected individual or a protected group by certain characteristics.

Merchants and their goods were added to the protected groups in a synod of 1033.

To address those concerns, the legislation provides for a re-evaluation of protected groups one year from now.

Croats, also afraid of losing their status as a protected group in Bosnia, did the same.

The protected groups are: national origin, race, color, ethnicity, culture, economic status, and physical ability.

The same society may not tolerate statistical discrimination when it is applied to protected groups.

The economic crisis hit the less protected groups particularly hard.

A protected group is a group of people qualified for special protection by a law, policy, or similar authority.