The equal opportunity laws or Affirmative Action was pasted to prohibit discrimination in hiring, promotion, termination, compensation, and other terms and conditions of employment because of race, color, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, or religion. Discrimination is the unfavorable or unfair treatment of a person because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or handicapping condition. "Affirmative action means taking positive steps to recruit, hire, train, and promote individuals from groups that have traditionally been discriminated against on the basis of race, sex, disability, or other characteristics. In this sense, affirmative action goes beyond equal employment opportunity, which requires employers to eliminate discriminatory conditions, whether inadvertent or intentional, and to treat all employees equally in the workplace." Affirmative action requirements can be imposed on an employer by federal law and federal government contractors and subcontractors as part of a conciliation agreement with a state or federal agency or by court order. In addition, some employers voluntarily adopt affirmative action plans in an effort to create a more balanced workforce. .
Equal Employment Opportunity laws prohibit discrimination in all aspects of employment, including recruitment, selection, evaluation, promotion, training, compensation, discipline, retention, and working conditions. Federal EEO laws do not require an employer to extend preferential treatment to anyone because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or handicapping condition. EEO merely demands that all persons receive the same opportunities for hiring, training, promotion, etc. When those opportunities have not been available to anyone in the past because of discrimination, affirmative employment is required to overcome the effect of discrimination. .
These laws protect individuals by prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, and age.
