Chapter Three

Employment at-Will

either party can terminate the employment relationship at any time, for just cause, no cause, or any cause that is not illegal, with no liability as long as there is no contract for definite term of employment

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin

Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967

protects people 40 years of age or older

Disparate treatment

intentional discrimination based on a protected characteristic

Disparate impact

also called adverse impact; when an action has a disproportionate effect on a protected group, regardless of the employer’s intent

Illegal discrimination

terms of discriminations in HRM practices that happen before and during the work based on illegal ground; determined by political/judicial processes; equal chance of employment

Sexual harassment

quid pro quo & hostile work environment

Negligent hiring

when an employer hires an applicant it knows or should have known could harm a third party

Affirmative action

proactive effort to eliminate discrimination and its effects to ensure nondiscriminatory results in employment practices in the future

Bona Fide Occupational Qualification

a characteristic that is essential to the successful performance of a relevant employee function