Familial status refers to a type of family unit as defined in the Fair Employment and Housing Act. The Fair Employment and Housing Act is typically governed by both federal law and state law. The purpose of the familial status is to ensure that family units are allowed to stay together, usually in an apartment setting, and that the family is not required to move into a larger apartment because of children.
More specifically, the familial status of the Fair Employment and Housing Act was passed to protect family units with children who are under the age of 18 years. Therefore, a person or family has achieved familial status if there is a biological child in the household or if there is a legal guardian and a child in the household. Under the Fair Employment and Housing Act, a landlord is not allowed to refuse renting a house or an apartment based solely on familial status.