Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964: Federal law prohibiting employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. Must ensure evaluation criteria and language are non-discriminatory.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Requires reasonable accommodations for disabled employees and prohibits discrimination. Evaluation metrics must account for approved accommodations.

Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA): Protects workers 40 and older from age discrimination. Evaluation criteria must be age-neutral and based on performance only.

Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): Federal law governing wages, hours, and employment conditions. Ensures evaluations align with job classifications and compensation decisions.

Privacy Act of 1974: Regulates the collection, maintenance, use, and dissemination of personal information. Affects how evaluation data must be stored and protected.

State Employment Laws: Various state-specific requirements for performance evaluations, documentation, and employment practices that may affect evaluation form content.

EEOC Guidelines: Federal guidelines ensuring fair and non-discriminatory employment practices, including performance evaluation standards and procedures.

At-will Employment Doctrine: Legal principle allowing employment termination for any legal reason, requiring careful documentation of performance issues in evaluations.

Record Retention Requirements: Federal and state mandates for maintaining employment records, including performance evaluations, for specified periods.

Due Process Considerations: Legal requirements for fair evaluation procedures, including employee feedback opportunities and appeal processes.