EEOC Cautions Against Discrimination Following Attacks

September 26, 2001 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) warned employers to guard against a potential rise in workplace harassment following the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington DC, according to a Reuters report.

The EEOC cautioned that anger at those responsible for the attacks should not be misdirected against innocent individuals because of their religion, ethnicity, or country of origin, according to their report, adding that employers and labor unions have a special role in guarding against workplace discrimination.

Reports have circulated that people of Middle Eastern descent have suffered a backlash following the release of the names of those suspected of involvement in the attacks, by the FBI. The names released were all of Middle Eastern origin.

In an attempt to clarify the laws regarding discrimination in the wake of the attacks, the EEOC has since distributed a fact sheet to several hundred organizations, outlining the rights of employees and explaining the procedure for lodging complaints with the Commission.

The US Justice Department said it had opened more than 60 investigations into hate-crime allegations since the attacks, according to Reuters.

– Camilla Klein              editors@plansponsor.com

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