Civil Rights Terms and Definitions

Religious Discrimination
Religious discrimination occurs when an employment rule or policy requires a person to either violate a fundamental precept of his or her religion or lose an employment opportunity. The definition of "religion" is not restricted to the major religions. Since the provisions under religion include a lack of belief, atheists are also covered. The coverage under religion includes all aspects of religious observances and practices as well as belief.

Overt Discrimination
Overt discrimination is a specific, observable action taken against a person or class of persons because of protected status, e.g., national origin. This treatment also is referred to as "intentional discrimination. " Example: Failing to interview job applicants based solely on their race (race discrimination).

Reprisal/Retaliation
A complaint may be filed by an individual who alleges restraint, interference, coercion, discrimination or retaliation for raising a claim of discrimination; or for representing one who has alleged discrimination; or for advocating equal opportunity for others; or for acting as an EEO official in processing such complaints.

Underutilization
To use less than fully; below potential use. This term is often applied to categories of employees who are working at jobs that do not make full use of their skills and abilities, although they may have been hired for those skills and abilities. When an employee is consistently assigned to "dead end" jobs, he or she may be underutilized because they are often seen as able to perform only limited tasks.

Affirmative Action
Positive steps taken by an employer to ensure equal employment opportunities for minorities, women, and persons with disabilities. In federal employment, extra effort must be made to include qualified women, minorities, and persons with disabilities at grade levels and in job categories where they are underrepresented.

Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities
A person with a disability is defined as one who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of such person's major life activities, has a record of such impairment, or is regarded as having such an impairment.

Racial Discrimination
Racial discrimination is present when people are treated differently than others who are similarly situated because they are members of a specific race. It can occur when individuals are treated differently because of unalterable characteristics, such as physical feature, indigenous to their race.

Equal Employment Opportunity
The goal of laws which make some types of discrimination in employment illegal. Equal employment opportunity (EEO) will become a reality when each U.S. citizen has an equal chance to enjoy the benefits of employment. EEO is not a guarantee of employment for anyone. Under EEO law, only job related factors can be used to determine if an individual is qualified for a particular job.

Underrepresention
Inadequately represented in the work force of a particular activity. This term is used to describe the extent to which women, minorities, and persons with disabilities are represented in particular grade levels and job categories.

Community Outreach Program
Community Outreach Program is a continuous public relations approach to the achievement of the agency’s civil rights policies and objectives. The objectives of community outreach include, but are not limited to: Establishing and maintaining good working relations with leaders of minority, women's, and disabled persons' organizations; community leaders; officials of schools, colleges and technical institutions and more.