Title VII and Employment practices

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Executive Summary
Title VII was implemented to bestow jurisdiction within the court system and grant injunctive relief against the discrimination of an individual in relation to accommodations that are available to the public in general. This Act also bestows the Attorney General to defend the public's rights in regard to public education and facilities. Through the Commission on Civil Rights, discrimination is precluded in assistance programs managed by the Federal Government. This significant Act was initiated in 1964 and the proper name of the Act is the 'Civil Rights Act of 1964." (EEOC 2008)

This paper will discuss the timeline of the historic act in implementing equal pay for equal work and the nation, as a whole, erasing racism as it was known prior to the Act. The Act has afforded all equality and most recently, the nation and the world has seen the affects of this Act when the nation's had its first woman and Hispanic run for President. This act enabled the election of the first African American President. When this Act was implemented, the thought of a non-Caucasian or a female President seemed surreal. This Act was written and enforced for just this purpose, giving all the equal opportunity to be whoever he or she dreams he or she can be without any restrictions, as we are all equal.

The Act
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is the sub-section covering employment in the workplace. This piece of legislation grew out of the unrest which gripped the country in the early 1960's. Jim Crow was the laws which govern the actions of black in many parts of the country. The tern Jim Crow "was generally identified with those racist laws and actions that deprived African Americans of their rights by defining blacks as inferior to whites, as members of a caste of subordinate people" (Davis, 2008, From Terror to Triumph: Historical Overview, para. 1). America was experiencing social and racial unrest, in August of 1963, the year before enactment of the Civil Rights Act Martin Luther King, Jr., gave one of his most famous speeches, "I Have a Dream" which caused Americans to look inward and wander how a civilized country like America can discriminate against people because of the color of their skin. (Bennett-Alexander & Hartman, 2007).

John F. Kennedy was a source of public support for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. He pushed for support by going on national television and urged American to support the Act and end discrimination for all people. He wanted to protect people's rights in public school, voting, public accommodations and other civil rights concerns. President Johnson on July 2, 1964 signed the bill which created the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Answer.com, 2008.)

Protection
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 gave protection to individuals from discrimination in employment on the basis of race, national origin, sex, color and religion. Title VII applies to private, federal and state workers with 15 or more employees (Georgetown Law School, 2004.) This protection covers the hiring, training, promoting, firing and other aspect of employer actions related to employees. Over the years since Title VII was past the Act continues to strengthen by giving further protection to other protected groups. Amendments were added which created the Equal Employment Opportunity Act in 1972. In 1978 the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) was passed, giving protection to pregnant women. The American with Disabilities Act of 1990 gave protection for people with disabilities and cover employees in private, state and local governments. Trade Unions and employment agencies are also covered. The ADA covers discrimination against qualified individual with disabilities (EEOC, 2008.) The expansion of employee protection against discrimination in the workplace continued in 1967 with the passage of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA.) The Act is a federal law which protects individual 40 year of age and older against discrimination in the workplace. The Act was motivated by the ageing workforce and promoted decision making by employer on ability instead of age (HRhero.com, 2008.)

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is the lead agency enforcing the following federal laws, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1994, the Equal Pay Act of 1963, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 196, Title I and Title V of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, sections ...