Preventing Discrimination in the Workplace

One of the best ways for an employer to eliminate discrimination from the workplace is to examine the criteria he or she uses for making employment decisions to ensure that they are job related and consistent with business necessity.  Making sure the criteria used are based on the actual requirements of the job and the needs of the workplace, and evaluating employees on their individual abilities and accomplishments using these criteria, will go a long way toward eliminating discrimination from the workplace.

Employers should take steps to stop discriminatory practices in the workplace before they occur. Making all employees aware of the laws prohibiting discrimination is an important step.  Employers are required to post notices advising employees of their rights under these laws. The notices must be placed in an area that is readily accessible to all employees, and accommodations should be made for persons who have visual or other disabilities that affect their ability to read the notices. EEOC Posters are available free of charge by calling the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s Publications Distribution Center at 1-800-669-3362.  Posters are also available through the EEOC website.

For additional information concerning the laws that prohibit discrimination in employment, see Federal Laws Prohibiting Job Discrimination Questions and Answers, a publication of the United States Equal Opportunity Commission. These and many other useful EEOC publications are available from the EEOC’s Web site or from the nearest EEOC office:

Nashville Area Office
50 Vantage Way
Suite 202
Nashville, TN 37228
Phone: (615) 736-5820
TTY:    (615) 736-5870

Memphis District Office
1407 Union Avenue
Suite 521
Memphis, TN 38104
Phone: (901) 544-0115
TTY:   (901) 544-0112