Equal Employment Opportunity
The legal principle that employment decisions must be based on merit and qualifications, free from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetic information.
What Is Equal Employment Opportunity?
Equal employment opportunity (EEO) is the body of federal, state, and local law that prohibits workplace discrimination and requires employers to make hiring, promotion, compensation, and termination decisions on a non-discriminatory basis. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces the principal federal EEO statutes.
Key Federal EEO Laws
- **Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964**: race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), and national origin - **Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)**: age 40 and older - **Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)**: qualified individuals with disabilities - **Equal Pay Act of 1963**: pay disparities based on sex for equal work - **Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA)**: genetic information and family medical history - **Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA)**: reasonable accommodations for pregnancy-related conditions
Types of Discrimination Claims
Claims fall into two main categories: disparate treatment (intentional discrimination against an individual or group) and disparate impact (facially neutral policies that disproportionately harm a protected class without business justification). Retaliation for opposing discrimination or participating in EEO proceedings is itself a separate violation and is the most common EEOC charge. Employees generally must file an EEOC charge within 180 days (300 in states with parallel agencies) before filing a federal lawsuit.