Several federal laws have been passed to insure equal employment opportunity (EEO). The purpose of these laws is to stop discriminatory practices that are unfair to specific groups and define enforcement agencies for these laws (Daft, 2016).
- EEO legislation attempts to balance the pay given to men and women and provide employment opportunities without regard to race, religion, national origin, sex, age, or disability. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the major agency involved with employment discrimination (Daft, 2016).
- Discrimination occurs when some applicants are hired or promoted based on criteria that are not job relevant. When discrimination is found, remedies include back pay and affirmative action (Daft, 2016).
- Affirmative action requires an employer to take positive steps to guarantee equal employment opportunities for people within protected groups. Failure to comply with EEO legislation can result in substantial fines and penalties for employers.
- One issue of growing concern is sexual harassment, which is a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The EEOC guidelines specify that behavior such as unwelcome advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal and physical conduct of a sexual nature becomes sexual harassment when submission to the conduct is tied to continued employment or advancement, or when the behavior creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.
If you were asked to advise a private company about its EEO responsibilities, what two points would you emphasize as most important?
200 words please
