Chapter 20: Management: Employee Discrimination

Equal Pay Act of 1963

an amendment to the FLSA that makes it illegal to pay different wages based on gender to men and women who are doing substantially the same work

Civil Rights Acts of 1866 and 1870

the first effective antidiscrimination employment statute that prohibits intentional discrimination based on race, color, national origin, or ethnicity

Title VII

a federal law that prohibits discrimination in all areas of employment, on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

an agency of the U.S. government responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination laws at workplace

Civil Rights Act of 1964

an act that outlaws all employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin; it applies to hiring, pay, work conditions, promotions, discipline, and discharge

Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972

an antidiscrimination employment amendment to Civil Rights Act that expands the enforcement power of EEOC

Pregnancy Discrimination Act

an act that prohibits refusal to hire or promote or allow termination on the basis of pregnancy and childbirth

Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967

an act that prohibits hiring, firing, promotion, benefits, and raises based on age; it prevents employment discrimination against employees over the age of 40 and mandatory retirement restrictions

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

an act that prohibits discrimination by the employer against individuals with disabilities

Rehabilitation Act of 1973

an act that prohibits federal contractors from discriminating against certain employees (such as handicapped persons) in performing their contracts

Fair Employment Practices Act

an act that outlaws all employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin

Civil Rights Act of 1991

an amendment of the Civil Rights Act that requires an employer to justify a pattern or practice, executed as a business necessity or for job-related purposes

disparate treatment

distinctions made between groups and individuals that result in differing treatments or rights

pattern or practice of discrimination

a theory for violations of Title VII and other federal antidiscrimination law based on discrimination against a group or class of persons, and not against a single individual

disparate impact

test or screening practices used in employment, which affects one group more than another

quotas

a system or a program that causes unlawful discrimination; generally a violation of Title VII

Sexual harassment

a form of discrimination that involves a quid pro quo related to sexual favors or an atmosphere of harassment that creates a hostile work environment

bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ)

a job qualification based on sex, religion, or national origin that is necessary for the operation of business

Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act

a federal law that extends the time for filing claims for discriminatory practices that led to pay disparity

right-to-sue letter

a certification issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in cases where the EEOC has not settled a complaint within 180 days from the time of its filing or declines to pursue a case

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

a federal law that requires companies with 50 or more employees to provide 12 weeks of leave each year for medical or family reasons