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What Is Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)?

Equal employment opportunity is the principle that people should be considered and treated on merit and role relevance, not personal characteristics.

An educational definition from the HR glossary. Explore related terms below, or jump into the resource center to go deeper.

Definition

Equal employment opportunity is the principle that people should be considered and treated on merit and role relevance, not personal characteristics.

Why it matters

Fair, role-based decisions widen the pool and reduce the risk of unfair treatment.

Examples

Illustrative example. Applying the same role-based criteria to all candidates reflects the principle. Specific obligations vary by jurisdiction.

For the practical detail behind this term, follow the related metric, template and resources below.

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For informational purposes only. This is an educational, plain-language definition — not legal, tax, financial or compliance advice and not an official definition. Terms and obligations vary by organisation and jurisdiction. Numeric examples are simple, placeholder-based illustrations, not data. Confirm specifics with qualified professionals.
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Put it into practice

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Go deeper

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)?

Equal employment opportunity is the principle that people should be considered and treated on merit and role relevance, not personal characteristics.

Why does Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) matter?

Fair, role-based decisions widen the pool and reduce the risk of unfair treatment.

How is Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) measured?

It connects to the HR metric linked on this page, where you can find the formula and how to read it. This glossary entry is an educational definition, not a data source.