Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Chapter 9 focuses on discrimination. Discrimination has existed since the beginning of time and has targeted women, racial and ethnic minorities, and other persons, including those with disabilities. In the workplace, it prevents people from fully applying their talents, skills, and abilities where it may be useful. It is a hefty duty of public personnel managers to deal with discrimination among women, minorities, and those with disabilities. The United States as a whole, has dedicated much needed attention to these issues by implementing programs that creatively contest discrimination.

Discrimination and employment has unfortunately been a familiar mix throughout history. In the early 1900s, African Americans and Caucasians were segregated in all public areas. African Americans were even limited to unskilled labor. It took A. Philip Randolph, a civil rights leader and his plan to assemble a mass rally of roughly 100,000 protestors to Washington D.C. to bring somewhat of a change of pace. In order to avoid such an event, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 8802 prohibiting employment discrimination and establishing a Fair Employment Practices Committee (FEPC) with authority to investigate charges of discrimination against defense contractors and federal agencies. The FEPC was the first federal entity established to protect African American interests since the brief period of reconstruction following the Civil War.

President Kennedy was responsible for reorganizing the federal antidiscrimination program. He abolished the old law and created a single consolidated program to be implemented by a new organization known as the President’s Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity (PCEEO). This program outlined affirmative action as a positive program of recruitment and outreach to the minority community. President Lyndon B. Johnson followed through with President Kennedy’s goals and enacted the Civil Rights Act of 1964, prohibiting any discrimination by private employers and organizations receiving federal assistance. The Civil Rights Act then established the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to implement a policy of nondiscrimination, and contractors subject to PCEEO rules would now fall under the jurisdiction of the EEOC.