EEO, which is protected by law, is freedom from discrimination because of race, sex, age, national origin, religion, disability, or socioeconomic class . In the United States, the primary legislation for the protection of EEO is Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Additionally, countries have different regulatory bodies, such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), that are responsible for enforcing EEO legislation. Naturally, an equal opportunity employer undertakes not to discriminate against its employees.
Despite laws to investigate complaints of employment discrimination, there are still exceptions and loopholes that allow some companies to circumvent the rules. Religious organizations in the United States, for example, are exempt from specific EEOC policies because hiring people of other faiths could conflict with the organization’s mission.
Many companies may want to identify themselves as an equal opportunity employer, as this shows job seekers and clients that they take equality seriously in the organization. In the United States, it is not a federal law for companies to use the EEO label, but the EEOC says the inclusion of the label could encourage potential employees from all walks of life to apply for a job at this company. .
Eliminating bias, especially in the recruitment process, is part of the DEI commitments of many employers. Since the racial protests across the United States in the summer of 2020, more and more companies have committed to promoting a more diverse workforce by increasing hiring efforts and expanding the talent pool. . However, Culture Amp’s research shows that only around 40% of companies currently have DEI staff and almost 80% of those people have been hired since 2020.
Here are five things equal opportunity employers should know.
