Discrimination in the workplace is something that employees face in almost every occupation and industry, be it large or small.
In an ideal world, people would have equal rights, responsibilities, and opportunities, irrespective of their background, race, or gender.
However, we do not live in a utopia. For this reason, the federal government gives authority to organizations, namely OFCCP and EEOC, to look over concerns regarding prejudice in employment.
Key Takeaways
- OFCCP stands for the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, which enforces affirmative action and non-discrimination requirements for federal contractors.
- EEOC stands for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which enforces federal laws prohibiting workplace discrimination.
- OFCCP focuses on federal contractors, while EEOC covers all employers with 15 or more employees.
OFCCP vs EEOC
OFCCP is a US Department of Labor agency responsible for ensuring that federal contractors comply with nondiscrimination and affirmative action requirements. EEOC is a federal agency responsible for enforcing federal laws that prohibit employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, origin, age, or disability.
OFCCP stands for Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs. It is an organization that is part of the United States Department of Labour.
The goal of OFCCP is to make sure that all the employment opportunities associated with the federal government are available to everyone on a just and fair basis.
EEOC stands for Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The organization is a federal agency that advocates for laws regarding civil rights.
Its work is to investigate complaints regarding discrimination and prejudices that independent employers and businesses have. Civil discrimination suits are filed in such cases, which may also be brought up against federal agencies.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | OFCCP | EEOC |
|---|---|---|
| Full form | The full form of OFCCP is the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs. | The full form of EEOC is Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. |
| Establishment | OFCCP was established under the presidency of Jimmy Carter in 1987. | EEOC was established under the presidency of John F. Kennedy in 1961. |
| Goal | OFCCP aims to monitor and ensure that employers do not discriminate. | The goal of the EEOC is to investigate complaints regarding civil rights. |
| Targets | OFCCP targets employers and businesses associated with the Federal Government. | EEOC targets independent employers, businesses, and even federal agencies. |
| Nature | The nature of OFCCP’s work is proactive. | The nature of EEOC’s work is reactive. |
What is OFCCP?
OFCCP is responsible for monitoring whether employers in Federal agencies comply with the laws and regulations laid down regarding discrimination.
It was established under the presidency of Jimmy Carter in 1977 and is a part of the United States Department of Labour.
The goal for the organization is to ensure fair and just employment practices associated with the Federal Government.
The working of the organization is based on three federal laws. These include Executive order 11246, the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
When the three laws are combined, unjust employment practices by contractors and subcontractors associated with the Federal Government become illegal. Furthermore, the organization can even file a case against defaulters.
Recently, the work of OFCCP was made to be facilitated through Rehabilitation Act under Section 503 and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
This broadens the narrative as immigrants, and disabled people are much safer under these laws. An interesting fact is that the organization not only monitors but educates employers about these laws as well.
This ensures that each person understands the situation and knows the implications of not complying with the law.
What is EEOC?
EEOC is an organization under the federal government that investigates workplace discrimination complaints. It was established in June 1965 under the presidency of John F. Kennedy.
Its goal is to ensure that all employment practices of independent organizations and businesses comply with the laws and regulations laid down by the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
This means that any employee who faces discrimination based on their race, color, origin, religion, sex, age, gender, sexual orientation, and disability can seek redressal with the help of the organization.
The working of EEOC is based on a combination of certain laws. These include Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008.
These laws represent almost every section of society. By using the mandates specified by these laws, the EEOC demands that every independent employer must submit a report including information about their employees.
Based on these reports, the organization decides whether the employer is fair towards people of different backgrounds.
EEOC has had many successes in court while helping people fight discrimination. Since it was set in motion, the agency has followed non-discriminatory practices extensively.
Since its initial phases, EEOC has made sure that people working in the agency are from diverse backgrounds, including the Chairmen.
Main Differences Between OFCCP and EEOC
- OFCCP is short for Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, whereas EEOC is short for Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
- OFCCP was established in 1987 under President Jimmy Carter, whereas EEOC was established in 1961 under President John F. Kennedy.
- The goal of OFCCP is to monitor employment practices regarding discrimination, whereas that of EEOC is to investigate complaints regarding discrimination.
- OFCCP targets employers and businesses associated with the Federal Government, whereas EEOC targets independent employers.
- The nature of OFCCP’s work is proactive, while that of EEOC’s work is reactive.
- https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED429150.pdf#page=170
- https://journals.aom.org/doi/abs/10.5465/ambpp.1978.4976887
Last Updated : 13 July, 2023
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Chara Yadav holds MBA in Finance. Her goal is to simplify finance-related topics. She has worked in finance for about 25 years. She has held multiple finance and banking classes for business schools and communities. Read more at her bio page.
We all live in a utopia. Systems like these are a step towards making our world a better place for everyone!
We should definitely appreciate the steps being taken to bring us closer to an ideal world.
It’s disappointing to live in a world where we have come so far and still have so far to go in achieving equality.
Educating employers is key to tackling discrimination at its root.
It’s hard to believe that we’re still having to deal with these kinds of issues in the modern world.
Agreed. It’s disheartening to see such discrimination still existing.
Sadly, that’s the reality of the world we live in.
While these systems are necessary, it’s unfortunate that we need them to counter discrimination.
Agreed. In an ideal world, they wouldn’t be needed.
People discriminate unfairly, making systems like these necessary.
A step in the right direction to curb unfair practices in the workplace.
Clearly, there’s a long way to go in eliminating discrimination.
Thank you for this detailed comparison. It’s good to be aware of what’s being done to combat workplace discrimination.
It’s ironic that we need such government bodies in place in an ‘ideal’ world.
You make a good point. The ideal world is far from realized.