Chapter 8 Workplace Law and Ethics

Affirmative action

program to remedy discriminating practices in hiring minority group members. Also covered under Title Ⅶ.

Age Discrimination in Employment Act (A D E A)

protects persons 40 years or older against employment discrimination because of age.

Americans with Disabilities Act (A D A)

prohibits employers who have more than 15 employees from discriminating against disabled individuals.

Autonomy

independence

Bias

unfair dislike or preference for something

Civil Rights Act

permits the court to award both compensatory damages and punitive damages to mistreated employees

Discrimination

unfair or unequal treatment

Employment-at-will

employment that takes place at either the will of the employer or the employee.

Equal Employment Opportunity Act (E E O A)

authorizes the E E O C to sue employers in federal court on behalf of people whose rights have been violated under Title Ⅶ.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (E E O C)

monitors Title Ⅶ of the Civil Rights Act.

Equal Pay Act

makes it illegal for an employer to discriminate on the basis of gender in payment to men and women who are performing the same job

Ethnocentric

a belief that one's cultural background is better than any other.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (I D E A)

in 2004 reauthorized and revised the Americans with Disabilities Act to align with the No Child Left Behind Act.

Just cause

legal reason

Pregnancy Discrimination Act

employers must treat pregnant women as they would any other employee, providing they can still do the job

Probable cause

a reasonable belief that something improper has occurred

Rehabilitation Act

prohibits employers from discriminating against the handicapped

Right-to-know laws

laws in many states that give employees access to workplace safety information such as the use of hazardous or toxic substances.

Stereotyping

negative generalities concerning specific characteristics about a group are applied to an entire population

Title Ⅶ of the Civil Rights Act

prohibits discrimination in employment based on five criteria: race, color, religion, gender, or national origin

Wrongful discharge

lawsuit in which the employee believes the employer does not have a just cause, or legal reason, for firing the employee