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7/6/2006

Small Businesses and Equal Employment
by Jennifer Bonds, State Training Coordinator

All small businesses must comply with employment regulations. It is the responsibility of the small business owner to have a full understanding of employment regulations that affect his or her business. Small businesses have a great resource on the web at www.eeoc.gov. This is the website of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission which regulates equal employment laws. All small businesses should be familiar with the following federal laws prohibiting job discrimination:

• Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII) prohibits race, color, religion, sex, and national origin discrimination. Title VII applies to employers with fifteen (15) or more employees.

• Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) prohibits age discrimination against individuals who are forty (40) years of age or older. The ADEA applies to employers with twenty (20) or more employees.

• Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) prohibits employment discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities. The ADA applies to employers with fifteen (15) or more employees.

• Equal Pay Act of 1963 (EPA) prohibits wage discrimination between men and women in substantially equal jobs within the same establishment. The EPA applies to most employers with one or more employees.

These laws prohibit employment discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, and prohibit retaliation for opposing job discrimination, filing a charge, or participating in proceedings under these laws. Please log onto www.eeoc.gov for more information.

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Index of 2006 articles

UALR College of Business
SBA
Association of Small Business Development Centers
Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center
University of Arkansas at Little Rock - College of Business
Donald W. Reynolds Center for Business and Economic Development
2801 S. University / Little Rock, Arkansas 72204
Phone: 501.683.7700  Fax: 501.683.7720
webmaster@asbtdc.ualr.edu
The Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center is funded in part though a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration through a partnership with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock College of Business and other institutions of higher education. All opinions, conclusions of recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA. It is the goal of UALR to eliminate discriminatory harassment and to promote equal opportunity regardless of race, gender, color, national origin, sexual orientation, age, religion, veteran's status or disability.