Equal employment opportunities

Equal employment opportunities

In 1964 U.S senate passed civic rights, and a few days later, it was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 discourages discrimination in every sector, either the private sector or in the government sector. A section of the Act, namely Title VII, prohibits employment discrimination on the grounds of race, sex, color, religion, and national origin. Title VII applies to private employers, labor unions, and employment agencies. This Act prohibits discrimination in recruitment, hiring, assignment, wages, promotions, discipline, layoffs, and all other aspects of employment.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act 1964 also established the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), a five-member, a bipartisan commission whose aim is to erase unlawful employment discrimination. Still, its mission has been shaped by more than this one legislation. Several laws and amendments, and some executive orders, have expanded, limited or directed the Commission’s responsibilities and authority.

Government agencies involved in equal employment opportunity and affirmative action compliance or noncompliance is done in several criteria.  The two standard standards mostly used are; procedures and policies implementation and secondly is regular self-audits.

In the procedure, policies, and their application, the employer will be required to recruit and advance qualified minority groups, women and people with disabilities, and covered war veterans. These have to be included in the organization’s written personnel policies as per the requirements of the United States department of labor regulations. The plans have to be written, implemented, and kept on a file and are updated on annual basis. Where a company has done this, he will be termed to have compliant. An employer who does not carry out this exercise will be deemed non-compliant. (Konrad & Linnehan,1995)

Self-labor audits are done by an employer, done to identify one’s compliance with the set rules and regulations. A company will test whether they have posted the EEO poster in a conspicuous place, including an EEO tagline in each employment advert, and ensure the maintenance of proper employment records by the organization. This will help the organization is compliant with the set rules. Self-audits are continuously carried to asses ones compliant or non-compliant with set regulations.  Where an organization has done as outlined above, it is treated as compliant while a company that has not done according to as prescribed is deemed non-compliant.

Discrimination is defined as an unjust treatment between different types of people majorly on race, sex, age, and gender.(Braddock, & McPartland,1987).

Equal employment opportunities prohibit discrimination against anyone. It attempts to ensure that all men and women and all races have fair chances in the hiring process. In the competition for regular access training and development opportunities. Affirmative action addresses practices of discrimination. Affirmative action was designed to level up the playground for females, individuals with disabilities, and minorities. Diversity is an inclusive working environment that values differences and is there to equal opportunities to everybody. They also consider behavior and policies. EEO also focuses on improving employee demographics, while diversity focuses on creating a competitive advantage. Affirmative action, diversity, and equal employment opportunities all focus on equity in the workplace.

Affirmative Action program should be enrolled as it helps the company to move forward. It effectives’ in the process of employees hiring it also aid in diversification. Below are necessary steps in implementing an Effective Affirmative Action Program

1. Issue a written equal employment opportunity policy and affirmative action commitment.
2. Appoint a top official with the responsibility and authority to direct and implement the program.
3. Publicize the policy and affirmative action commitment.
4. Survey present minority and female employment by department and job classification.
5. Develop goals and timetables to improve the utilization of minorities and women in each area where underutilization has been identified.
6. Develop and implement specific programs to achieve goals.
7. Establish an internal audit and reporting system to monitor and evaluate progress in each aspect of the program.
8. Develop supportive in-house and community program

Human resource management is greatly affected by federal laws that govern employment queries. Their responsibilities are put into three main areas; staffing, employees’ compensation, and designing work.

References

Braddock, J. H., & McPartland, J. M. (1987). How minorities continue to be excluded from equal employment opportunities: Research on the labor market and institutional barriers. Journal of Social Issues, 43(1), 5-39.

Konrad, A. M., &Linnehan, F. (1995). Formalized HRM structures: coordinating equal employment opportunity or concealing organizational practices?. Academy of Management Journal, 38(3), 787-820.