The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

Equal Opportunity in Employment & Contracting

Equal opportunity initiatives in the employment context are designed to ensure that all individuals have a fair chance to access opportunities in the workplace. These initiatives include: 

• Recruitment and outreach efforts to make sure that qualified women and minorities are in the talent pool when hiring decisions are made
• Training, mentoring, and workforce diversity initiatives to give all employees a fair chance at promotions
• Management tools for measuring progress in opening opportunities such as flexible goals and timetables

Equal opportunity programs have opened job opportunities for qualified women and minorities in the workplace. However, barriers to the highest levels of advancement still remain in the workplace and in non-traditional occupations.

In addition, the persistence of a wage gap for women and minority workers still remains in the American workplace. While the wage disparity has decreased since the passage of the 1963 Equal Pay Act, the statistics are still bleak.

Equal opportunity programs include efforts to encourage the awarding of government contracts to qualified women and minority-owned businesses. While equal opportunity policies and programs have improved the success of women and minority-owned business enterprises, these businesses still receive only a fraction of total federal and state contracting dollars.

Fact Sheets

• Why Corporate America Values Equal Opportunity - 6/10/03
• Equal Opportunity in Employment and Contracting - 1/28/04
• Facts on Executive Order 11246 - Department of Labor - 1/4/2002

Reports

• The Impact of Proposition 209 on Education, Employment and Contracting Opportunities for Women in California - Equal Rights Advocates - 1/1/98

Feature Stories

• Federal Government Losing Ground in Hiring Minorities to Senior Positions - August 23, 2006
• Key Anti-Discrimination Tool on Cutting Block - February 17, 2006
• Decision to Suspend Affirmative Action Requirements Sharply Criticized - September 21, 2005
• New USCCR Report Called "Back-Door" Approach to Weaken Affirmative Action Programs - August 22, 2005
• Kentucky State Agencies to Rethink Minority Hiring Goals - June 15, 2005
• Judge Halts San Francisco Affirmative Action Contracting Program; City to Appeal Decision - August 5, 2004
• Small Workforce Gains for Women and Minorities Fuel Diversity Debate - January 22, 2004
• Rutgers Law Professors Find Job Discrimination an Undeniable Reality - August 8, 2002

Advocacy Letters

• Support a Continuing Resolution that Protects Women-Owned Small Businesses from Hostile Federal Regulations - 9/22/08