What is the main function of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission?
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Definition of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC):The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is the federal agency tasked with enforcing the government’s employment discrimination laws. These federal laws prohibit discrimination against job applicants or employees based on race, sex, religion, national origin, age, health, and more. The EEOC protects against discrimination in all aspects of the workplace, including hiring, training, wages, promotions, benefits, and firing. Within the hiring process, the EEOC’s guidelines affect pre-employment tests just as they affect every other type of criteria used to make hiring decisions. Generally, using pre-employment tests is legally defensible as long as the test is assessing a skill, ability, trait, or competency that is job-related and consistent with business necessity. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or EEOC, enforces federal regulations regarding equality in the workplace. It pursues complaints about hiring and firing practices based on people's differences in ethnicity, color, race, religion, age, country of origin, sex, genetics or disability. While this is important to job applicants and employees, it's equally important to small-business owners. Small businesses are subject to the same laws as large corporations and can benefit from needing to consider a diverse-applicant pool. Preventing Peer-to-Peer Prejudice
Help With Compliance
Improved Work Force
Training and Education
Protection for Business Owners
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission enforces federal laws prohibiting workplace discrimination.The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is an agency of the federal government, created by the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII). The purpose of the EEOC is to interpret and enforce federal laws prohibiting discrimination. To achieve these goals, the EEOC holds hearings, administers equal employment opportunity laws for employees of the federal government, issues regulations interpreting the law, and litigates discrimination cases, among other things. The EEOC also accepts charges of discrimination from employees, investigates those charges, and attempts to mediate settlements between employees and employers. Federal Laws Enforced By the EEOCThe EEOC is responsible for interpreting and enforcing most – but not all – federal laws that prohibit employment discrimination, including:
The EEOC's RoleAs the agency responsible for interpreting and enforcing these civil rights laws, the EEOC has a number of responsibilities. Regulations and GuidanceWhen Congress passes a law prohibiting discrimination, the EEOC often issues regulations that interpret the law. The EEOC might also issue regulations when a law is amended or when important Supreme Court cases clarify the law. These regulations define important terms used in the statute, establish procedures for enforcing employee rights, and generally fill in the gaps left by Congress so both employees and employers are clear on their rights and obligations under the law. Sometimes, the EEOC also issues enforcement guidance on specific issues, such as using criminal records in hiring or applying the ADA to employees with mental disabilities. These documents explain how the law works in the real world, typically using lots of examples to flesh out the details. When the EEOC is considering regulatory action or looking at developing civil rights issues, it often holds hearings and solicits public comments to inform its decision-making process. Federal Employee RightsThe EEOC is also responsible for EEO compliance in the federal government. If a federal government employee wants to complain about discrimination, harassment, or retaliation, the employee must first file a complaint with the EEO office in the employee's own agency, which investigates and processes the complaint. The complaint may be heard – and a decision issued -- by an administrative law judge. If the employee isn't satisfied with the outcome, the employee can appeal to the EEOC's Office of Federal Operations. Charge ProcessingThe primary way most employees encounter the EEOC is through its charge-handling function. The EEOC takes charges (complaints) of discrimination from employees and applicants. Filing a charge is a legal prerequisite to filing a lawsuit; employees who fail to complain to the EEOC (or a similar state agency) and give it an opportunity to process the charge won't be allowed to sue. Once the EEOC receives a charge, it evaluates the employee's claims and decides how to proceed. Among the options:
If the employee wants to go ahead with a lawsuit while the EEOC is still processing the charge, the employee may request a right to sue letter. (Even if the employee doesn't request one, the EEOC will issue a right to sue letter to the employee once it finishes processing the charge.) This aptly named document states that the employee has met the requirement of filing a charge and may proceed to court. Talk to a LawyerNeed a lawyer? Start here. How it Works
What is the function of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission?What does the EEOC do? EEOC investigates complaints of job discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, disability, age (40 or older), or genetic information.
What is the purpose of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission EEOC quizlet?The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is the federal agency that enforces the laws against job discrimination and harassment. The federal law that makes it illegal to pay different wages to women and men if they perform substantially equal work in the same workplace.
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