History of Workplace Diversity
What we now think of as the modern workplace began to take shape in the late 18th century. This early version of the workplace was almost entirely composed on Caucasian men. Caucasian females began to slowly integrate into the workplace but were confined to jobs that were consistent with the role of women such as a typists or elementary school teacher. During this time period minorities, such as African Americans, were usually segregated to jobs in manual labor or the service industry. As the U.S. entered World War One in 1917, women began to fill the roles of men who had gone off to war. These opportunities allowed women to show that they could perform jobs that were only previously performed by men. After the war ended and men returned home women left their jobs and returned them to men, but now women had shown their competency and had acquired new skills. In 1920, The Women's Bureau of the Department of Labor was formed. The aim of the Women’s Bureau of the Department of the Labor was founded to formulate standards and policies which shall promote the welfare of wage-earning women, improve their working conditions, increase their efficiency, and advance their opportunities for profitable employment. It also gave the bureau authority to investigate women’s welfare in industry and to report its findings to the Department of Labor. In 1935 the National Council of Negro Women was founded to encourage Congress to protect African Americans and Negro women against racism, sexism, and job discrimination. In 1941 the United States entered the Second World War and men were called off to war which left positions open that needed to be filled. Women stepped up the challenge and performed jobs that many thought that only men could do, with many of these jobs being in industrial settings. Once men returned home after the war ended they again filled their previous positions and women were expected to return home. However, the workplace was never the same as women now demanded jobs outside of the home.
What many now recognize as the first initiative for diversity in the workplace was Truman’s 1948 signing of Executive Order 9981 which desegregated the armed services. Although this executive order did not entirely forbid the practice of segregation, it did require that all individuals be treated with equality and be given fair opportunities. The next big change in bringing more diversity to the workplace was in 1961 when President John F. Kennedy established the Commission on the Status of Women to ensure that fair practices were used when hiring female employees and to allow new mothers to have maternity leave. JFK also established the President’s Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity. The goal of this committee, now known as the EEOC, was to end discrimination in employment by the government. The Equal Pay Act created in 1963 made it so that men and women would be paid equally for similar work. Another piece of legislation that was integral to creating diversity in the workplace was the Civil Right Act which included Title VII. Title VII prohibits discrimination against employees on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. This legislation created a substantial amount of opportunities for women and minority members and allowed integration of these group members into the workplace. As a result of these pieces of legislation today’s workplace is much more diverse then it once was. Another piece of legislation, enacted in 1961, which encouraged fair opportunities for everyone was known as Affirmative Action. Affirmative Action requires that Caucasians and minorities group members are hired at similar ratios so that there are equal opportunities for employment.
Relevant Employment Antidiscrimination Legislation at a Glance
Equal Pay Act of 1963
The Equal Pay Act requires employers to give men and women equal pay for equal work.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin.
Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act prohibits age discrimination against employees and applicants age 40 or older.
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
The Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits employers from discriminating against employees who have a disability. In addition, the ADA requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees who have a disability to enable them to perform the job.
What we now think of as the modern workplace began to take shape in the late 18th century. This early version of the workplace was almost entirely composed on Caucasian men. Caucasian females began to slowly integrate into the workplace but were confined to jobs that were consistent with the role of women such as a typists or elementary school teacher. During this time period minorities, such as African Americans, were usually segregated to jobs in manual labor or the service industry. As the U.S. entered World War One in 1917, women began to fill the roles of men who had gone off to war. These opportunities allowed women to show that they could perform jobs that were only previously performed by men. After the war ended and men returned home women left their jobs and returned them to men, but now women had shown their competency and had acquired new skills. In 1920, The Women's Bureau of the Department of Labor was formed. The aim of the Women’s Bureau of the Department of the Labor was founded to formulate standards and policies which shall promote the welfare of wage-earning women, improve their working conditions, increase their efficiency, and advance their opportunities for profitable employment. It also gave the bureau authority to investigate women’s welfare in industry and to report its findings to the Department of Labor. In 1935 the National Council of Negro Women was founded to encourage Congress to protect African Americans and Negro women against racism, sexism, and job discrimination. In 1941 the United States entered the Second World War and men were called off to war which left positions open that needed to be filled. Women stepped up the challenge and performed jobs that many thought that only men could do, with many of these jobs being in industrial settings. Once men returned home after the war ended they again filled their previous positions and women were expected to return home. However, the workplace was never the same as women now demanded jobs outside of the home.
What many now recognize as the first initiative for diversity in the workplace was Truman’s 1948 signing of Executive Order 9981 which desegregated the armed services. Although this executive order did not entirely forbid the practice of segregation, it did require that all individuals be treated with equality and be given fair opportunities. The next big change in bringing more diversity to the workplace was in 1961 when President John F. Kennedy established the Commission on the Status of Women to ensure that fair practices were used when hiring female employees and to allow new mothers to have maternity leave. JFK also established the President’s Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity. The goal of this committee, now known as the EEOC, was to end discrimination in employment by the government. The Equal Pay Act created in 1963 made it so that men and women would be paid equally for similar work. Another piece of legislation that was integral to creating diversity in the workplace was the Civil Right Act which included Title VII. Title VII prohibits discrimination against employees on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. This legislation created a substantial amount of opportunities for women and minority members and allowed integration of these group members into the workplace. As a result of these pieces of legislation today’s workplace is much more diverse then it once was. Another piece of legislation, enacted in 1961, which encouraged fair opportunities for everyone was known as Affirmative Action. Affirmative Action requires that Caucasians and minorities group members are hired at similar ratios so that there are equal opportunities for employment.
Relevant Employment Antidiscrimination Legislation at a Glance
Equal Pay Act of 1963
The Equal Pay Act requires employers to give men and women equal pay for equal work.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin.
Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act prohibits age discrimination against employees and applicants age 40 or older.
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
The Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits employers from discriminating against employees who have a disability. In addition, the ADA requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees who have a disability to enable them to perform the job.