Legal Question in Business Law in California

Re: Promotion

Of course. That's one of the benefits of getting an education. Companies can set pretty much any standards they like, unless it runs contrary to the EEOC or ADA laws.

Re: Promotion

There's only a limited number of categories that can't be discriminated against: The employer can't discriminate against employees based on race, creed, color, union activity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, and in most cases, age or handicap.

However, education is not one of the categories.

Requirements for educational attainment often require high-school graduation; college-degree requirements are often softened with an "equivalent experience" alternative, but also often toughened with a requirement of a professional license that requires the degree, such as a teacher's certificate or a license to practice law, or registration as a professional engineer.