Organisations need to ensure that they are meeting legal obligation under Equal

Employment Opportunity (EEO) legislation. It is unlawful to discriminate against an

employee or job applicant on the basics of a range of characteristics that include

gender, sexual preference, gender identity, age, religion, race, colour, physical or

mental disability, marital status, family and career responsibilities, pregnancy,

breastfeeding, national origin, social origin, political belief/ activity, personal

association, industrial activity or physical features.That legislation is based on the

principle of merit applied fairly in the workplace. It involves identifying and eliminating

any discriminatory barriers that cause inequality in the employment of any person or

group of people. The object of EEO is to bring the disadvantaged up to the level of

the advantaged. EEO legislation makes it more likely that organisations will have a

diverse workforce.