Diversity

Diversity is a broad term that refers to a wide range of differences in gender, age, race, disability or condition, sexual orientation, religion or nationality. Relating to the workplace, diversity simply means that the population in the workplace is not homogeneous. Diversity is important in today's business environment for several reasons, including the necessity of compliance with anti-discrimination laws, an increasingly multicultural world and recognition that different perspectives are important.

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1. Title VII

o Diversity is important in the workplace in part to comply with the law. In 1964, the Civil Rights Act passed Title VII, which prohibited discrimination on the basis of sex, religion, race, color or national origin. All state, local and government employers and private companies, along with employment agencies and labor organizations, are subject to the mandates of Title VII, as long as they have 15 or more employees. Title VII requires companies to make hiring decisions without considering any of the prohibited factors. To ensure that companies are complying with Title VII mandates, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission requires many large companies to report demographic data of all employees they hire. Title VII authorized both civil and criminal penalties for discrimination, so employers who want to ensure compliance need to have a diverse workforce.

The Americans with Disabilities Act

o The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) also stresses the importance of diversity in the business environment. It requires employers to hire and make reasonable accommodations to hire disabled individuals. By ensuring that all Americans have equal access to jobs, the ADA has made it clear that this type of diversity is essential to a strong business culture in America.

Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967

o Diversity in the business environment extends to age as well. Although technology has evolved dramatically over the past several decades, it is still beneficial to business environments as a whole to hire and