IREM Certified Property Manager (CPM) Practice Test 2025 - Free CPM Practice Questions and Study Guide

Disparate treatment refers to intentional actions that discriminate against individuals based on their membership in a protected class, such as race, gender, age, or disability. This concept highlights situations where individuals are treated differently because of these characteristics, in a way that adversely affects their employment or housing opportunities.

In the context of housing and employment law, disparate treatment occurs when policies or practices are applied unequally, leading to inequitable outcomes for individuals in protected classes. This intentional discrimination is significant because it directly contravenes laws designed to foster equal opportunity and prevent bias, ensuring that everyone has fair access to housing and employment regardless of their background.

Adverse impact, by contrast, usually pertains to unintentional effects of policies that may disproportionately affect a group, while equal opportunity emphasizes the ideal of fairness without discrimination. Unintentional bias refers to subconscious prejudices that affect decision-making but do not constitute purposeful discriminatory actions. Thus, among the presented terms, disparate treatment most accurately describes deliberate discriminatory behavior based on membership in protected classes.