The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has updated its “Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination Is Illegal” poster, which summarizes workplace discrimination laws and explains how employees or applicants can file a complaint if they believe they have experienced discrimination.
Changes include incorporating straightforward language, including notes that harassment is a prohibited form of discrimination. The new version clarifies that sex discrimination includes discrimination based on pregnancy and related conditions, sexual orientation or gender identity and provides information about equal pay discrimination for federal contractors. Also included are bullet points for easier reading and a QR code for digital access to the “How to File a Charge” webpage.
“The new ‘Know Your Rights’ poster is a win-win for employers and workers alike,” says chair Charlotte A. Burrows. “By using plain language and bullet points, the new poster makes it easier for employers to understand their legal responsibilities and for workers to understand their legal rights and how to contact EEOC for assistance. The poster advances the EEOC’s mission both to prevent unlawful employment discrimination and remedy discrimination when it occurs.”
Employers are required to hang the poster in their workplace in a conspicuous location where other notices are typically placed. Along with posting the notice in the workplace, employers are encouraged to post it on their website.
The new version is available in English and Spanish, with additional languages available at a later date.
