Definition of Equal Opportunity:
Equal Opportunity laws were designed to protect U.S. employees from employment discrimination based upon that employee’s (or applicant’s) race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
Workplace Discrimination:
There are four major types of discrimination:
1. Race
2. Age
3. Sex
4. Disability
Race
It is unlawful to discriminate against any employee or potential employee based on race or color. It also prohibits employments decisions based on stereotypes and assumptions about employee abilities, traits or performance of individual of certain racial groups.
Individuals cannot be denied employment based on marriage or association of a person of a different race. In addition, it protects employees from harassment including racial jokes, ethnic slurs, offensive and derogatory comments and verbal or physical abuse.
Sex
Employees must be treated equally regardless of their gender or sexual orientation. Organizations are required to hire and employ individuals based on their qualifications matched to the specific job they perform.
Age
No person can be discriminated against because of his or her age with respect to any term, condition or privilege of employment – including hiring, firing, promotion, layoff, compensation, job benefits, assignment and training.
If an employer terminates an individual older than 40 years of age with no apparent valid reason, the former employee may have a valid complaint against the employer for age discrimination. This act applies to employers with 20+ employees including state and local governments.
Disability
It is unlawful for an employer of 15+ employees to discriminate in all employment practices such as recruitment, hiring, training, lay-offs, firing, job assignments, leave and/or benefits because of an employee’s disability.
The definition of disability is:
A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of your major life activities and there is record of such impairment or you are regarded as having such an impairment.
