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Glossary of Terms:
Affirmative Action (AA)
This term originally appears in Executive Order 11246, mandated by President Lyndon B. Johnson. As amended, it requires that all contractors apply good faith efforts to ensure total integration of the work force. A major thrust of an affirmative action program is the recognition and removal of barriers, identification of persons unfairly excluded, and action enabling those persons to compete for jobs on an equal basis. Affirmative action does not establish quotas or require employers to hire unqualified employees.
Disability (person with a disability)
The ADA defines a "person with a disability" as anyone with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, such as caring for one's self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working. In addition to those people who have visible disabilities -- persons who are blind, deaf, or use a wheelchair -- the definition includes people with a whole range of invisible disabilities. These include psychological problems, learning disabilities, or some chronic health impairment such as epilepsy, diabetes, arthritis, cancer, cardiac problems, HIV/AIDS, and more. A person is considered to be a person with a disability if s/he has a disability, has a record of a disability, or is regarded as having a disability.
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)
This term appears in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, enacted to prohibit any form of discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, or religion. Equal employment opportunity law addresses the rights of individuals and the terms and conditions of employment in general. Other laws affecting equal employment opportunity are the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), both prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability; the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act, prohibiting discrimination on the basis of veteran status; and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act.
Sexual Harassment
As stated in the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) sex discrimination guidelines, "Unwelcome sexual advances,requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when (1) submissions to such conduct made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment; (2) submission to, or rejection of, such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting that individual;or (3) such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile,or offensive working environment."
Special Disabled Veteran
Veteran entitled to compensation from Department of VA for a disability rated at 30% or more, rated at 10% or 20% if determined to have a serious employment handicap, or who was discharged because of service-connected disability.
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