This guidance document was issued upon approval of the Chair of the U.S. Equal Employment 

Opportunity Commission.

OLC Control # EEOC-NVTA-0000-31

Title Fact Sheet: Preventing Discrimination is Good Business

Date Issued 25-Feb-16

General Topics Charge Processing, Threshold Issues, Race, Color, Religion, Sex, 

National Origin, Disability, Age, Genetic Information

Summary This document addresses business reasons for complying with 

federal EEO law protections, and provides some basic information 

for employers on their responsibilities and how the EEOC can help 

with their compliance efforts

Date Posted 25-Feb-16

Statutes/Authorities 

Involved

Title VII, EPA, ADEA, Rehabilitation Act, ADA, GINA, 29 CFR 

Part 1601, 29 CFR Part 1614, 29 CFR Part 1620, 29 CFR Part 

1621, 29 CFR Part 1625, 29 CFR Part 1626, 29 CFR Part 1630, 29 

CFR Part 1635

Audience Employers, HR Practitioners

Revision No

The contents of this document do not have the force and effect of law and are not meant to bind 

the public in any way. This document is intended only to provide clarity to the public regarding 

existing requirements under the law or agency policies.
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Preventing Discrimination is Good Business

Preventing discrimination makes good business sense. Complying with the law may increase employee 

productivity, retention, and morale and limit legal expenses. You may even be entitled to tax benefits for hiring 

individuals with disabilities or making your business accessible to individuals with disabilities! See http://

www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/publications/adahandbook.cfm#appendixa for more information.

The EEOC can help small business owners! The EEOC is the federal government agency that enforces the federal 

laws against employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, and 

genetic information. These laws also prohibit retaliation (punishment) for opposing or reporting discrimination or 

participating in a discrimination investigation or lawsuit. 

How We Can Help

▪ We can answer your questions about the laws

we enforce.

▪ We can provide suggestions to help you prevent

harassment, retaliation, and other forms of 

unlawful discrimination.

▪ We can train you and your employees about

workplace rights and responsibilities. 

▪ We can help you resolve EEOC charges

(complaints) of discrimination through mediation.

EEOC mediation is a free, informal, confidential process to resolve disputes that may save you time and 

money.

Your Responsibilities

▪ Ensure that employment decisions are not

based on race, color, religion, sex, national 

origin, disability, age, or genetic information.

▪ Ensure that work policies and practices are related to the job and do not disproportionately 

exclude people of a particular race, color, 

religion, sex, national origin, disability, or age. 

▪ Ensure that employees are not harassed

because of race, color, religion, sex, national 

origin, disability, age, or genetic information.

▪ Provide equal pay to male and female

employees who perform the same work, unless 

you can justify a pay difference under the law.

▪ Respond promptly and adequately to

discrimination complaints. Stop, address, and 

prevent harassment and discrimination. Ensure 

that employees are not punished for complaining.

▪ Provide reasonable accommodations (changes

to the way things are normally done at work, 

such as permitting a schedule change so an 

employee can attend a doctor’s appointment 

or can observe a religious holiday) to applicants 

and employees who need them for medical or 

religious reasons, if required by law.

▪ Display a poster that describes the federal

employment discrimination laws. (Download one 

for free at http://www1.eeoc.gov/employers/

poster.cfm).

▪ Keep any employment records (such as

applications or personnel records) as required 

by law.

You may have additional responsibilities under 

federal, state, or local laws.

Contact Us! 

EEOC staff across the country are available to 

help you. Don’t wait; contact us today! 

Free language assistance is available, if needed.

▪ Need EEOC information or training?

Contact your local EEOC Small Business Liaison 

(http://www.eeoc.gov/employers/contacts.cfm) or 

call us at 1-800-669-4000 (TTY: 1-800-669-6820).

▪ Need information about the laws we enforce?

Call us at (202) 663-4691.

▪ Have questions about an EEOC charge of

discrimination against your business? 

Contact the EEOC investigator assigned to your 

charge.

We look forward to hearing from you! 

For additional information, contact your local EEOC Small Business Liaison (http://www.eeoc.gov/employers/

contacts.cfm).