<
 
 
 
 
×
>
hide
You are viewing a Web site, archived on 00:54:44 Oct 15, 2004. It is now a Federal record managed by the National Archives and Records Administration.
External links, forms, and search boxes may not function within this collection.
Office of Compliance Seal
Left Menu Bar Contact Information, Get in Touch With Us What's New Archive Proposed Rules and Rulemaking Safety and Health Procedures for Covered Employees Reports and Studies Conducted by the Office The Manual, Your Guide to the Congressional Accountability Act Other Rights Family and Medical Leave Fair Labor Standards Disability Discrimination Age Discrimination Equal Opportunity Employment Organization, Who We Are and What We Do Forms and Publications, A Library of Forms and Publications Decisions, Board of Directors Decisions
Employee Rights, Equal Opportunity Employment

 

Section 201 of the Congressional Accountability Act (CAA) requires that all personnel actions – such as hiring, discharge, promotion, pay, or benefits – must be free from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The law forbids discrimination based on these characteristics even if other factors also motivate the action.

Proving motivation depends on the facts of a particular case. For example, a covered employee must not only prove that he or she was treated differently from others in similar circumstances, but must also show that race, color, religion, sex, or national origin was a motivating factor in that treatment.

The law also forbids certain employment practices that, while they may appear neutral in practice, in fact, cause a "disparate impact" on an employee on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The practice may be lawful only if the employing office proves that the practice is job-related for the position in question and is consistent with business necessity.

Section 201 of the CAA also prohibits sexual harassment in the workplace and discrimination because of pregnancy or childbirth. In addition, the law requires that an employing office must reasonably accommodate an applicant or employee’s religious observances and practices so long as doing so will not create an undue hardship on the conduct of business.

 

Questions or comments regarding this service? Contact wwwadmin@compliance.gov.

 
Text Size Link: Extra Large Text Link: Large Text Link: Meduim Text Link: Small Text


Get Adobe Acrobat Reader


 Related Items

 

Useful Links

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)