Essentially, equal employment opportunity constitutes the set of organisational practices and policies relating to recruitment, selection, training and promotion that are intended to be fair to everyone. This means that EEO ensures three important outcomes:
- The best candidate for the job is chosen, irrespective of factors such as race, gender, age, disability etc.
- The business gains the employee with the knowledge and skills that best suit their needs.
- It promotes a more positive work environment
Affirmative action comprises measures that are taken by employers in consultation with employees with the aim of eliminating both direct and indirect discrimination. This involves implementing steps to address the causes of the lack of equal employment for women as well as other marginalised groups.
Anti-discrimination essentially combats workplace discrimination. It does this through legislation, the purpose of which is to protect employees from direct and indirect discrimination in areas including:
- Recruitment
- Selection
- Training
- Promotion
- Remuneration
- Termination
There are anti-discrimination laws in addition to the Fair Work Act 2009 that employers need to obey, such as:
- The Sex Discrimination Act 1984
- The Affirmative Action (Equal Employment Opportunity for Women) Act 1986
Regarding your example, if a female employee is denied or is not considered for a promotion because of her gender and not factors such as her level of performance, this is classified as gender-based discrimination.
I hope this helps!
