California employees have a wide variety of rights at work. They can expect safe working conditions, certain minimum wages, freedom from sexual harassment and so much more. However, these laws are sometimes ignored or overlooked by employers. There are times when employees face discrimination, wrongful termination and other difficulties because employers are not following the rules.
As this blog has mentioned before, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is responsible for enforcing many federal employment laws. However, the EEOC’s role in employment law issues is not limited to discrimination cases. The EEOC enforces several employment laws in the United States.
The EEOC is responsible for enforcing the Equal Pay Act of 1963, which made it illegal to pay men and women different salaries for the same work. This law also makes it illegal to retaliate against an employee who has complained about discrimination in the workplace.
When it comes to discrimination, the EEOC enforces several laws. In addition to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 — which deals directly with discrimination based on race, religion, national origin and sex — the EEOC also enforces the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967. These laws protect certain classes of employees against discrimination and retaliation. The EEOC also enforces specific portions of the Civil Rights Act of 1991, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
California employees who are facing discrimination, retaliation or other issues at work should understand whether the EEOC should get involved in their case. To get a broader understanding of these employment laws and the EEOC’s role in enforcing them, employees should speak with a qualified attorney.
Source: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, “Laws Enforced by EEOC,” Accessed May 30, 2015
