Employment Law Terms and Definitions

Affirmative Action Positive action to accomplish the purpose of a program designed to increase the employment opportunities of certain groups. It may involve goals, timetables, or specifically outlined steps to be undertaken to assure that objectives are reached. Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, 29 U.S.C. §791, ("Section 501"), requires departments and agencies of the federal government to have an affirmative action program plan for the hiring, placement, and advancement of individuals with disabilities. Equal Employment Opportunity Nondiscrimination in hiring, firing, compensation, promotion, recruitment, training, and other terms and conditions of employment regardless of race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin or disability. Racial Profiling Wrongful and hurtful judgments about an individual or group based solely on their ethnicity or color of their skin; actions based on racial prejudice. Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 Recipients of federal funding for law enforcement under the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 3789d, are prohibited by that statute from discriminating on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex in any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. Individual with a Disability A person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of that person’s major life activities, has a record of such impairment, or who is regarded as having such an impairment. Mentoring Is an educational process where the mentor serves as a role model, trusted counselor or teacher who provides opportunities for professional development, growth and support to less experienced individuals in career planning or employment settings. Individuals receive information, encouragement and advice as they plan their careers. Vesting Ownership interest in your pension plan benefits and Company matching contributions under the savings program. You have an irrevocable right to a benefit when you are fully vested. Curb Cut Also called a curb ramp, it is a depression built into the curb of a sidewalk to permit passage by a wheelchair. The incline should not exceed a gradient of 1:12 and the flat surface width should be no less than 4 feet wide. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces Title I of the ADA against private employers and the Disability Rights Section, Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice enforces Title I of the ADA against state and local government employers. Title I of the ADA designates the EEOC as the federal agency primarily responsible for investigating individual charges of discrimination under the Act.

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	Did You Know?
	About at will employment In certain states, employers do not have the right to terminate employees "at will" if the termination violates public policy, an implied employment contract, or an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.