Equal Employment Opportunity Act
The Equal Employment Opportunity Act, enacted on March 24, 1972, is a significant piece of legislation aimed at eliminating discrimination in employment practices. It builds upon the foundation laid by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which initially prohibited discriminatory hiring based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, but lacked robust enforcement mechanisms. The 1972 Act expanded protections to ensure that government agencies and educational institutions cannot discriminate in various employment-related areas, including hiring, firing, and promotions.
One of the critical advancements of the Equal Employment Opportunity Act was the empowerment of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to file discrimination lawsuits directly, enhancing the ability to address grievances effectively. Additionally, the Act required the establishment of affirmative action programs by federal and state agencies, government contractors, and businesses with more than fifteen employees, aiming to address and rectify past discriminatory practices. This legislation reflects a societal shift towards greater equity in the workplace, responding to the growing demands for civil rights and equality in employment opportunities. Overall, the Equal Employment Opportunity Act represents a commitment to fostering a fair and inclusive work environment across various sectors.
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Equal Employment Opportunity Act
The Equal Employment Opportunity Act, which became law March 24, 1972, stipulated that government agencies and educational institutions could not discriminate in hiring, firing, promotion, compensation, and admission to training programs; it also allowed the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to bring discrimination lawsuits directly rather than referring them to the attorney general.
Equal employment opportunity issues emerged in the 1960s as a result of changes in societal values, the changing economic status of women and minorities, and the emerging role of government regulation in the area of civil rights. The enactment of the 1964 Civil Rights Act occurred at a time when African Americans were fighting for equal treatment and protection under the law with respect to voting rights, employment, fair housing, and better educational facilities. A provision of this act was the prohibition of discriminatory hiring practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The 1964 act, however, lacked major enforcement and punishment provisions. It also failed to include all aspects of employment within government, labor, and the private sector. Almost ten years after the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Congress was lobbied to provide amendments to the act which would enhance employment opportunities for minorities.
The passage of the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Act of 1972 amended Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by expanding the protection of individuals with regard to hiring, firing, promoting, and other human resource functions to all persons without regard to race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The EEO Act strengthened the enforcement powers of the 1964 Civil Rights Act by allowing individuals who believed that they were being discriminated against to file suit in court for legal recourse to remedy the discriminatory employment practices.
The EEO Act of 1972 tied previous employment legislation (the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order 11246 of 1964, and the Intergovernmental Personnel Act of 1970) together and required federal and state agencies, government subcontractors, small businesses with more than fifteen employees, and labor organizations to establish affirmative action programs to remedy past discriminatory practices and to prevent future discriminatory employment problems.
Bibliography
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Mizrahi, Jennifer Laszlo, Leslie Wilson, and Derek Shields. “Include People with Disabilities in the Federal Workplace.” Public Manager 43.4 (2014): 7–10. Academic Search Complete. Web. 24 Apr. 2015.
Rose, Winfield H., and Tiang Ping Chia. “The Impact of the Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972 on Black Employment in the Federal Service: A Preliminary Analysis.” Public Administration Rev. 38.3 (1978): 245–251. Business Source Complete. Web. 24 Apr. 2015.
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