Gabriela M. Ruiz is a senior counsel in Holland &
Knight's
Miami office.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) revised on
Nov. 21, 2016, its enforcement guidance with respect to national
origin discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of
1964 (Title VII). The EEOC and other federal agency staff use the
guidance to investigate, adjudicate and litigate claims of national
origin discrimination brought under Title VII.
The guidance explains that "national origin" or
"place of origin" includes countries, former countries
and geographic regions that were never countries but were closely
associated with particular groups, such as Kurdistan or Acadia.
Moreover, the guidance explains that Title VII prohibits
discrimination on the basis of a "national origin group"
or a group of people sharing a common language, culture, ancestry,
race and/or other social characteristics. Examples of
"national origin groups" include Hispanics, Arabs and
Roma.
