EEOC UPDATES GUIDANCE ON NATIONAL ORIGIN BIAS

New Compliance Manual Section, Web Page and Fact Sheet Address Wide Range of Issues

WASHINGTON - Cari M. Dominguez, Chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), today announced the issuance of updated guidance, in the form of a new Compliance Manual section, on the prohibition against national origin discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The guidance, along with a new web page and Q&A fact sheet, is part of the EEOC's proactive efforts to prevent workplace discrimination through education, outreach and technical assistance to the employer and labor communities.

"With American society growing increasingly diverse, protection against national origin discrimination is vital to the right of workers to compete for jobs on a level playing field," said EEOC Chair Cari M. Dominguez. "Immigrants have long been an asset to the American workforce. This is more true than ever in today's increasingly global economy. Recent world events, including the events of September 11, 2001, only add to the need for employers to be vigilant in ensuring a workplace free from discrimination."

The new guidance explains the prohibition against national origin bias and emphasizes "best practices" aimed at fostering work environments that are free of such discrimination. It addresses a wide range of issues that arise in claims of national origin discrimination, including hiring decisions, harassment, and language issues.

The Commission has also created a special fact sheet providing questions and answers to some of the most common national origin matters faced by small employers today. While specifically developed for small businesses, the new fact sheet will be valuable to anyone interested in Title VII's prohibitions against discrimination based on ethnicity or country of origin.

To complement these materials, the Commission is posting a national origin web page containing the new Compliance Manual section and the Q&A fact sheet, as well as basic information about national origin discrimination, charge statistics, and links to documents and resources that provide further information on the topic and related issues. The web page can be accessed from the Commission's home page at www.eeoc.gov. The new Compliance Manual section is also available through the EEOC's Publications Distribution Center at (800) 669-3362 voice or (800) 800-3302 TTY.

In addition to enforcing Title VII, which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, the EEOC enforces the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, which protects workers 40 and older; the Equal Pay Act; Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities in the private sector and state and local governments; prohibitions against discrimination affecting persons with disabilities in the federal government; and sections of the Civil Rights Act of 1991. Further information about the Commission is available online at www.eeoc.gov.