What You Need to Know About the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission

March 31 2011

The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission enforces laws that prohibit employers from discriminating in their practices related to hiring, firing, pay or other employment conditions based on an employee’s or applicant’s race, color, age (40 or older),religion, sex or national origin.  It also prohibits sexual harassment.  Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 also makes it illegal to harass employees or applicants (demote, terminate, retaliate against) if the employee or applicant is party to a complaint about discrimination with either the company or with any government agency, or because an applicant or employee took part in an employment discrimination investigation or filed a discrimination lawsuit.

Employers must maintain equitable treatment of all employees and applicants.  The EEOC-enforced laws make it illegal for employers to base employment decisions on race, religion, sex or any other characteristics not related to job performance.  All managers and supervisors should carefully monitor the behavior of their direct reports so that no type of harassment is allowed at any level.

Visit www.eeoc.gov for more information specific to Title VII and Job Discrimination.