This introductory lesson outlines the major legal frameworks that govern workplace harassment and diversity. It compares the EEOC, UK Equality Act, EU Directives, and local laws, explaining core obligations for employers and the vocabulary regulators use.
Overview of Legal Frameworks for Harassment and Diversity
This introductory lesson outlines the major legal frameworks that govern workplace harassment and diversity. It compares the EEOC, UK Equality Act, EU Directives, and local laws, explaining core obligations for employers and the vocabulary regulators use.

In this lesson, we survey the core legal frameworks that govern workplace harassment, discrimination, and inclusion. The goal is to understand how laws shape organizational obligations and how different jurisdictions approach similar issues.

We focus on the EEOC (United States), the UK Equality Act, and EU Directives, along with relevant local laws. Each framework defines harassment and protected classes in its own terms, and each requires specific employer actions to remain compliant.

Key terms you will encounter include protected classes, harassment definitions (such as hostile environment and quid pro quo when relevant), reporting duties, and the types of records organizations must maintain to demonstrate compliance.