Equal employment opportunity is undoubtedly a vital concept for HR professionals and job applicants. In the US, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or EEOC requires human resources to make all employment decisions like hiring, promotions, firing, and more, without discrimination.

Failure to comply with human resources equal opportunity laws can potentially lead to lengthy, complicated investigations and high legal bills.

So, to help your organization prevent those disgraceful discrimination charges, keep reading.

What is Equal Employment Opportunity in Human Resource Management?

Equal Employment Opportunity or EEO in HR management is the idea that all employees should get equal treatment around their workplace. Employees should get fair treatment during vital employment decisions like hiring, promotion, training, termination, and more.

The EOCC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) is the body mandated to enforce anti-discrimination federal laws.

The law requires that employers shall not discriminate employees based on:

• Race
• Gender
• Skin color
• Age
• Disabilities
• Religion
• Ethnicity
• Pregnancy

How the EOCC Works

First of all, the EOCC board consists of a general council and five commissioners appointed by the president to work on a five-year term.

But what does the EOCC do? The primary EOCC purpose is to ensure the full implementation of federal employment laws. The law provides for equal pay and employment opportunities to all qualified persons – including disabled individuals.

Some federal and state laws that prevent employment discrimination include:

• Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
• Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
• Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
• Equal Pay Act (EPA)
• Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)

The EOCC will investigate any charges of workplace discrimination and attempt to settle them. If the board can’t reach an agreement with the employer, the commission will file a lawsuit.

Human Resource Best Practices to Prevent EEOC Investigations

Make Policies in Writing

It can be hard to defend an organization against discrimination without evidence of workplace anti-discrimination policies. That said, your company should have up-to-date EEO policies and regulations with descriptions of all unacceptable behaviors and consequences. Also, the rules should apply to everyone, including senior management.

Train Managers

Managers interact with employees daily. Therefore, they are the first ones to receive discriminatory complaints from employees. That said, an organization should train managers to handle these issues appropriately. If possible, they should undergo annual anti-discriminatory training.

Avoid Retaliation

According to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, an employer should not discriminate against an employee because the individual opposed any discriminatory practice or assisted in an investigation. Chances of an employer losing a retaliation lawsuit are even higher than that of a discrimination complaint. So, avoid retaliation against an employee at all costs.

Final Advice

Overall, these are just some of the EEO best practices to uphold in your workplace. However, the rule thumb is to ensure that the company implements all federal EOCC laws, and everything else will fall into place.