Legal Definitions - equal-opportunity employer

An equal-opportunity employer is a company or organization that treats all job applicants and employees fairly and does not discriminate against them based on certain characteristics. These characteristics include:

• Race
• Color
• Religion
• Sex (including sexual orientation)
• National origin
• Age
• Disability
• Genetic information

For example, if a company is an equal-opportunity employer, it will not refuse to hire someone because of their race or religion. It will also not pay someone less or treat them unfairly because of their gender or age. This means that everyone has an equal chance to get a job and be treated fairly at work.