(Papers to be published in Employee Rights & Employment Policy Journal)
2014 marks the 50th anniversary of the passage of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VII was the first major federal employment discrimination law—and it continues to be the most important one. By prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, and national origin, Title VII transformed American workplaces. It required employers to remove most formal barriers to equal employment opportunity and it has dramatically reduced explicit acts of discrimination. It remains to be seen, however, how effective Title VII will be in addressing ongoing challenges such as implicit bias or structural barriers that impede access, as well as the extent to which it can address issues such as discrimination on the basis of caregiving responsibilities, gender identity, or prior criminal convictions. The Section’s program brings together key leaders who helped shaped Title VII’s early implementation, a current EEOC commissioner, and scholars to use this milestone year as an opportunity for looking both forward and backward at Title VII’s impact and its potential.
Business Meeting at Program Conclusion.