EEOC refers to the abbreviation for the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission, a federal agency created by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, responsible for enforcement and interpretation of federal laws proscribing discrimination against individuals in the employment context. Federal law protects employees and job applicants from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetic information. Employers are generally subject to laws enforced by the EEOC if they have more than 15 employees. Laws enforced by the EEOC cover an array of situations, from hiring and benefits to sexual harassment.
For more information on the history of EEOC click here.
[Last updated in July of 2021 by the Wex Definitions Team]