Template · Policies and handbooks
Equal opportunity policy
In short
An equal opportunity policy commits an employer to making hiring, pay, promotion, discipline and other employment decisions without regard to protected characteristics such as race, sex, religion, age or disability. This template includes a short EEO policy statement for job ads, a full handbook policy, accommodation and complaint procedures, and a no-retaliation clause.
Equal Employment Opportunity Policy template
Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
Replace each [Placeholder]. Add every characteristic protected by the state and local laws where you employ people or recruit. Federal contractors and subcontractors should add the specific statements their contracts require. Have employment counsel review before publishing.
Short EEO policy statement (for job postings and careers page)
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law. If you need a reasonable accommodation to apply or interview, contact [email or phone].
1. Policy statement
[Company Name] provides equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants. Employment decisions are based on job-related qualifications, performance and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion or creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status (where protected by law), age, physical or mental disability, genetic information (including family medical history), military or veteran status, [state and local protected characteristics, for example marital status, height and weight, hairstyle or source of income], or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.
2. Scope
This policy applies to every aspect of employment, including recruitment and advertising, application and selection, hiring, job assignment and scheduling, compensation and benefits, training and development, promotion and transfer, performance evaluation, discipline, layoff and recall, termination, and use of company facilities and programs. It applies to all employees, managers, applicants, and, where stated in their agreements, to temporary and contract workers. It also applies to tools and vendors we use to make or support employment decisions, including assessments, background screening and automated or AI-based screening tools.
3. Reasonable accommodation
We provide reasonable accommodation to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities, to employees with known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, and for sincerely held religious beliefs and practices, unless the accommodation would cause undue hardship. To request an accommodation, contact [HR contact, email and phone]. You do not need to use special words or put your request in writing. We will discuss your request with you, may ask for information that supports it where the law allows, and will respond within [number] business days. Medical information is kept confidential and separate from personnel files.
4. Pay equity
We pay employees based on job-related factors such as role, skills, experience, performance and work location. We do not pay employees differently for substantially equal work because of sex or any other protected characteristic. Employees may discuss their own pay and the pay of coworkers who choose to share it, and we will not retaliate against anyone for doing so. [Add pay transparency or salary range disclosure obligations that apply in your states.]
5. Manager responsibilities
Managers and anyone involved in hiring or employment decisions must apply this policy, use the job-related criteria and structured processes set by HR, document the reasons for decisions, and report any possible discrimination they see or hear about to [HR contact] within [one business day]. Managers may not ask applicants or employees about protected characteristics except where HR has approved the question for a lawful purpose, such as voluntary self-identification.
6. Reporting concerns
If you believe you or someone else has been treated unfairly because of a protected characteristic, report it to any of the following: your manager or any other manager; [HR contact, email and phone]; [hotline or online reporting tool, available 24 hours]; or [senior leader]. You may report anonymously through [hotline]. Applicants may contact [email]. We will look into every report promptly and impartially, keep information as confidential as possible, and take corrective action where we find this policy has been violated. Employees also have the right to contact the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or their state fair employment agency.
7. No retaliation
We prohibit retaliation against anyone who reports a concern in good faith, requests an accommodation, takes part in an investigation, or opposes conduct they reasonably believe is discriminatory. Retaliation includes firing, demotion, schedule or shift changes, exclusion, threats and other actions that would discourage someone from speaking up. Retaliation will result in discipline up to and including termination.
8. Voluntary self-identification and data
We may invite applicants and employees to voluntarily self-identify their race, ethnicity, sex, disability or veteran status to meet reporting obligations and review whether our processes are fair. Providing this information is voluntary, it is kept separate from application and personnel files, and it is never used in individual employment decisions.
9. Violations and policy administration
Any employee who violates this policy will be subject to discipline up to and including termination. [HR title] is responsible for administering this policy, training managers, and reviewing it at least once a year. Questions about this policy should go to [HR contact].
Effective date: [Date]. Approved by: [Name, Title].
Employee acknowledgment
I have received and read the Equal Employment Opportunity Policy, and I understand how to report a concern and request an accommodation.
Employee name: ____________________ Signature: ____________________ Date: __________
How to use this template
- List every characteristic protected in the states and cities where you have employees or recruit, and add them to section 1.
- Put the short EEO policy statement on every job posting, your careers page and your application form.
- Name a real accommodation contact and a response time, and test that the email and phone line are monitored.
- If you are a federal contractor or subcontractor, add the statements and postings your contracts and the applicable regulations require.
- Publish the policy in your handbook, translate it for employees who read other languages, and collect signed acknowledgments.
- Train managers and interviewers on the policy, with practical examples from hiring, scheduling and discipline.
- Review the policy each year and check hiring, pay and promotion data for patterns that need a closer look.
What the law requires
No federal law requires private employers to adopt a written equal opportunity policy, but the obligations behind it are real, and a written policy is the practical way to show you take them seriously. The main federal laws are Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (race, color, religion, sex and national origin; employers with 15 or more employees), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (age 40 and over; 20 or more employees), the Americans with Disabilities Act (15 or more), the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (15 or more), the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (15 or more), and the Equal Pay Act, which covers nearly all employers. The Supreme Court held in Bostock v. Clayton County (2020) that Title VII's ban on sex discrimination covers sexual orientation and gender identity.
State and local laws usually add characteristics and cover smaller employers. Many states apply their laws to employers with one or a handful of employees. Covered employers must also display the EEOC's "Know Your Rights" poster where employees and applicants can see it, and the EEOC also points employers to electronic posting for remote workers. For more on the legal concept, see equal employment opportunity and protected class. Requirements vary by state and country, so check every location where you hire.
Federal contractors
Executive Order 11246, which required federal contractors to take affirmative action for women and minorities and to include specific EEO language in job ads, was revoked in January 2025. Other contractor obligations remain: Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act covers individuals with disabilities and VEVRAA covers protected veterans. OFCCP rules effective September 2026 dropped the Section 503 disability self-identification invitation and utilization goal, but written affirmative action programs for covered contractors, veteran self-identification and VEVRAA job listing obligations continue. Contractors should check their current contract clauses and get legal advice rather than rely on older templates, because this area has changed quickly. Your EEO self-identification form should match current requirements, and private employers with 100 or more employees still file the EEO-1 report.
EEO policy statement versus the full policy
Most employers need two things. The short statement goes on job ads, the careers page and application forms. It tells applicants you do not discriminate and, more usefully, tells them how to ask for an accommodation in the hiring process. That second sentence is the one most templates leave out, and it matters: an applicant who cannot complete an online assessment because of a disability needs a named contact, not a generic inbox.
The full policy goes in the handbook. It covers scope, accommodation, pay, manager duties, how to complain and protection from retaliation. It sits alongside your anti-harassment policy; some employers combine the two, which is fine as long as the reporting channels and investigation steps are the same in both.
Diversity and inclusion policies
Many employers pair an EEO policy with a diversity and inclusion statement. Since 2023, and especially since 2025, legal scrutiny of DEI programs has increased, and the EEOC has reminded employers that Title VII prohibits using protected characteristics in employment decisions, including in programs meant to help underrepresented groups. A defensible approach focuses on access and process: broad outreach to widen the applicant pool, structured interviews, consistent criteria, accessible assessments, fair pay reviews. Avoid quotas, set-asides or eligibility rules tied to a protected characteristic. Have counsel review any diversity program language, since federal and state positions differ and continue to shift.
Making the policy real in high-volume hiring
When you hire hundreds or thousands of people a year, discrimination risk rarely comes from one manager's decision. It comes from process: a knockout question that screens out more older applicants, a typing test cut score with no link to job performance, an assessment that is hard to complete with a screen reader, or interview slots only offered during school hours. These can produce disparate impact even when no one intends it.
Practical checks: track pass rates at each stage by group using voluntary self-identification data and compare them using the four-fifths rule as a first screen; review any automated or AI screening tool for adverse impact before and after launch, which is required by law in some places such as New York City; and make sure accommodation requests can be made at every step, including chat or text-based applications. Train hiring managers to stick to the structured questions and scorecards, and to document reasons for every decision.
Common mistakes
- Copying a federal-only list of characteristics when your states protect more.
- An EEO statement with no way to request an accommodation during hiring.
- Only one reporting channel, usually the employee's own manager.
- Collecting self-identification data on the application itself instead of separately.
- Writing the policy once and never checking whether hiring, pay and promotion outcomes match it.
- Treating vendors' assessment and screening tools as their problem. The employer remains responsible for the results.
Frequently asked questions
What should an EEO policy statement say?
It should say the company is an equal opportunity employer, list the main protected characteristics or refer to all characteristics protected by law, and tell applicants how to request a reasonable accommodation. Keep it to two or three sentences for job ads.
Is an equal opportunity policy legally required?
Federal law does not require private employers to have a written policy, but anti-discrimination laws apply regardless, and some states and federal contracts require specific notices or statements. A written policy with working complaint channels also helps an employer show it took reasonable steps to prevent discrimination.
What is the difference between an equal employment opportunity statement and an affirmative action plan?
An EEO statement commits the employer not to discriminate. An affirmative action plan is a written program with specific analyses and outreach steps, required for certain federal contractors under Section 503 and VEVRAA. Most private employers need an EEO policy but not an affirmative action plan.
Which characteristics should an equal opportunity policy cover?
At minimum those protected under federal law: race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation and gender identity), national origin, age 40 and over, disability, genetic information and veteran or military status. Add every characteristic protected by state and local law where you operate.
Can an equal opportunity policy include a diversity and inclusion policy?
Yes, many employers combine them. Focus diversity language on outreach, fair processes and accessible hiring, and avoid any decision rules based on protected characteristics. Because the legal position on DEI programs has shifted, have counsel review the wording.
Where should the EEO policy be displayed?
Put the short statement on job postings, the careers page and application forms, and the full policy in the employee handbook. Covered employers must also display the EEOC's Know Your Rights poster where employees and applicants can see it, and post it electronically for remote staff.