Hiring glossary
What does “equal opportunity employer” mean?
An equal opportunity employer is an organisation that commits to making hiring, pay, promotion and other employment decisions without discriminating on protected characteristics such as race, sex, religion, age or disability, as the law requires.
The phrase comes from US law, where EEO (equal employment opportunity) is enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Federal law prohibits discrimination based on race, colour, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation and transgender status), national origin, age (40 and over), disability and genetic information, and prohibits retaliation. Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act and GINA cover employers with 15 or more employees, and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act covers those with 20 or more. The EEOC also says it is illegal to publish a job advertisement that shows a preference for, or discourages, applicants on a protected basis, or to recruit in a way that discriminates.
For US federal contractors, the picture changed in 2025. Executive Order 11246, which had required many contractors to take affirmative action and include EEO clauses, was revoked by Executive Order 14173 on 21 January 2025. The general anti-discrimination laws above still apply to all covered employers.
Other countries use different language. In the UK, the Equality Act 2010 protects nine characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality and ethnic or national origin), religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. Canada, Australia and India each have their own equality and anti-discrimination laws, so an EEO statement written for the US should be adapted for each country you hire in.
An EEO statement on a job ad is a promise, not a protection. What matters is a hiring process that is consistent and job-related: clear criteria, structured interviews, assessments of the actual work and records of why each decision was made. This is general information, not legal advice.
Also called: EEO, equal employment opportunity, EEO statement, EEOC.
Example
A sample US statement: “We are an equal opportunity employer. We make hiring decisions based on the requirements of the job and your ability to do it, without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law. If you need an adjustment during the application process, tell us and we will help.”
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