Equal Opportunity

arlenecwa

How much legal obligation does a private employer have to provide equal opportunity in hiring and employment? Case in point is a small (80 employee) construction company in which white males make up about 70% of the workforce and 90% of the management team. The business is 100% family-owned. There are no federal contracts which would impose affirmative action guidelines. There is no malicious intent to exclude women and minorities nor are they discriminated against. It's just a good old boys company and they are happy as clams with the status quo. As their HR person, should I be concerned?

Down_the_Middle

I think you have more of a legal obligation to protect civil rights claims than you might realize. While it may not be necessary for you to suddenly embark on an Affirmative Action Plan (to correct disparities in the workforce and underutilization issues), you still have an obligation to comply with such statutes as ADEA, ADA, Title VII, EPA, etc...... An 80 employee workforce is well above the minimum # of employees for all of those federal statutes. I can understand the "status quo" issue with a small employer, but you're job is also to ensure that these things are not easily alleged by a disgruntled former employee or applicant who can't break through the barriers. You can become an equal opportunity employer quite easily by choosing to be one and then doing the right things when it comes to employment practices that do not discriminate. The first hurdle, however, is for your employer to choose to adopt EEO practices. That's the first big step. Sounds to me as though that step needs to occur b/4 you "whip up a program" to address EEO issues.