Final answer:
The main provision of the amended Civil Rights Act of 1991 is the ability to award punitive damages in cases of intentional employment discrimination. This extended the impact of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, further enhancing legal remedies for discrimination.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Amended Civil Rights Act of 1991
The primary provision of the amended Civil Rights Act of 1991 is that it allows for punitive damages to be awarded in cases of intentional employment discrimination. This amendment was a significant change to the original Civil Rights Act of 1964, which already prohibited discrimination in employment based on race, color, national origin, religion, and sex, and aimed to improve the enforcement of these provisions. The 1991 act enhanced the remedies available to victims of discrimination by allowing them to seek both compensatory and punitive damages in instances of willful violations of Title VII, the section of the Civil Rights Act that pertains to equal employment opportunities.
However, it's important to note that while the Civil Rights Act of 1991 made important strides, the addition of gender identity protection specifically came later and was solidified by a 2020 Supreme Court ruling. This ruling clarified that employment discrimination protections under the Civil Rights Act extend to sexual orientation and gender identity, indicating continuous expansion and interpretation of the law to cover more areas of potential discrimination.