EEOC and Arab, Sikh, South Asian Groups Co-sponsor Community Forum On Employment Discrimination

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The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) will sponsor a community workshop to help Arab, Sikh and South Asian business owners and employees in Northern Virginia prevent, recognize and respond to employment discrimination.  This free event, which is open to the public, will take place on Wednesday, July 9, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m., at the Mason District Government Center, 6507 Columbia Pike, Annandale, Va.

This effort represents a partnership among the EEOC and four national organizations – the Arab American Institute, the Sikh Coalition, South Asian American Leaders of Tomorrow and the Pakistan American Business Association – to provide the represented communities valuable information about their rights and responsibilities under federal equal employment opportunity laws.  EEOC presenters will focus on discrimination based on national origin, religion, race and color.  Specific topics will include interviewing, hiring, harassment, religious accommodations, coverage of undocumented workers and wage discrimination.

This forum was arranged as part of the Commission's ongoing commitment to reach out to a wide range of stakeholder groups.  Jean AbiNader, Managing Director of the Arab American Institute, will serve as moderator and participants will be encouraged to ask candid questions. Take-home information packets will include some publications available in Arabic, Farsi and Urdu, as well as in English.

The EEOC enforces Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act; the Equal Pay Act; Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits employment discrimination against people with disabilities in the private sector and state and local governments; prohibitions against disability discrimination in the federal government; and sections of the Civil Rights Act of 1991.  Further information about the agency is available on its web site at www.eeoc.gov.