PHR Exam Prep™

Equal Employment Opportunity: The Basics

As mentioned previously, a commitment to ensure equal opportunities throughout all dimensions of the employment relationship serves as the backdrop to employment-related legislation. In order to be effective, HR professionals need to have an understanding of certain fundamental concepts.

Protected Class

A group of people who share a common characteristic and who are protected from discrimination and harassment on the basis of that shared characteristic are said to belong to a “protected class.”

Discrimination

Discrimination, in the truest sense of the word, is not necessarily illegal. To discriminate is to make a distinction, or to discern. When distinctions or discernments are made on the basis of factors, ...