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Employment Discrimination: A Title VII Primer

NCJ Number
133821
Journal
FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin Volume: 60 Issue: 12 Dated: (December 1991) Pages: 18-24
Author(s)
J G Sauls
Date Published
1991
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This article discusses Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a Federal statute that prohibits employment discrimination based on race, sex, color, national origin, or religion.
Abstract
It discusses the law's broad prohibition against considering forbidden criteria in employment actions including selection, evaluation, or compensation of employees. It then reviews the remedies that Title VII provides for victims of illegal employment discrimination, particularly the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Two distinct theoretical bases that courts have used to support findings of illegal discrimination under Title VII are examined, and the exceptions to the prohibition of lawful disparate treatment, the bona fide occupational qualification, and the affirmative action exception are considered in employment actions. Helpful strategies are suggested to help employers avoid violation of this law as well as for reason of effectiveness. In particular employers should assess all of their employment practices for fair and uniform evaluation of knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for the performance of the job in question.