Version 2025-2026
Affirmative Action - Answers federal requirement for employers to identify areas of minority and
female underutilization and set specific numerical hiring and promotion goals and other actions
to increase minority and female employment where they are underutilized (for the most part,
presently no longer a significant concern)
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) - Answers federal agency charged with
enforcement of the anti-discrimination requirements of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Division of Human Rights (DHR) - Answers state counterpart to the EEOC, usually working in
concert with EEOC concerning charges of discrimination
legally valid interview - Answers interview conducted in accordance with the questioning
guidelines based on Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other pertinent
antidiscrimination legislation
placement interview, or employee selection interview - Answers interview of a job applicant
conducted by the manager who will be the immediate supervisor of the person hired
prohibited question - Answers any interview question intended, either directly or indirectly, to
elicit information that may not legally be used in making an employment decision
defamation - Answers charge that one's name or reputation has been damaged by comments
made by a present or past employer (in reference to comments offered in response to a
reference request)
negligent hiring - Answers charge made against an organization alleging failure to make a good-
faith effort to check references in the hiring of an employee with a past record of wrongdoing
who subsequently causes harm in a new employment situation
general orientation - Answers orientation to the overall organization, ordinarily provided by
human resources but sometimes by a separate education department, to expose new
employees to information of importance concerning the organization and its operations
departmental orientation - Answers department-specific orientation conducted to reinforce
general orientation knowledge, introduce new employees to the department and coworkers,
address departmental policies, and get new employees properly started in their jobs
team - Answers group of people committed to achieving common objectives
special-purpose team - Answers Ad hoc - assembled for a one-time purpose and disbanded
when that purpose has been served
special purpose standing team - Answers ongoing with permanent or rotating membership and