1964 was the year the federal Civil Rights Act became law. It’s the bedrock of modern federal employment anti-discrimination laws. It’s been changed over the years, expanding civil rights protections for employees and job applicants. Since this law passed, how much progress have we made?

That was then

The Civil Rights Act of 1964, reports ABC News, was a major legislative victory for the country’s civil rights movement and answered an important question of the day: Should federal law prohibit race- and gender-based employment discrimination?

It was the first national law to forbid discrimination in the workplace. It states it’s unlawful to “fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual, or otherwise to discriminate against any individual with respect to his compensation, terms, conditions or privileges or employment, because of such individual’s race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.”

This is now

A 2014 CBS News poll found that more than three in four Americans thought passing the law was very important in the context of US history.

• Nearly 80% stated there’d been real progress since the 1960s in curbing racial discrimination. The share of people saying progress has been made increased nearly 30% since 1992
• That positive view is more likely held by whites (82%) than African-Americans (59%). More than a third of African-Americans stated there hadn’t been any real progress
• Only 5% said they believed all of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s civil rights goals had been reached
• Most Americans state discrimination against African-Americans exists today
• 41% of African-Americans stated there is a lot of discrimination against them currently, compared to just 14% of whites who say that

Women may have benefited the most from the law. Census figures show that women made up nearly 47% of the civilian workforce in 2013, up from 29% in 1967, according to the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM).

​Where are we headed?

It is more apparent than ever that employers who select and promote only white, male employees will have a harder time competing. Biased employment decisions could result in a lower-performing workforce, compared to competitors with more diverse workforces. Discriminatory practices may be a policy few employers can afford.

The benefits of creating diversity in the workplace are wide-ranging and varied. With a deeper applicant pool, employers could attract more qualified employees. Studies show developing a more diverse workforce isn’t just a “feel good” thing to do. It can increase the chances the organization will be successful.

Bonusly came up with statistics showing why diversity is essential.

• Younger workers are more diverse. The millennial and Gen Z generations (born from the 1980s to the early 2010s) are the most diverse age groups in US history. A little more than half (56%) of the 87 million millennials in the US are white, while 72% of the 76 million baby boomers are. From 1980 to 2020, the white working-age population will drop from 83% to 63% of the nation’s total while the number of minority workers will double
• 67% of job seekers consider workplace diversity when deciding whether to accept a job offer. More than half of current employees want their workplace to do more to increase diversity
• 45% of American workers say they’ve experienced discrimination and/or harassment at work in the past year. They may see a less diverse workplace as one where these kinds of problems are more likely to happen
• A lack of diversity in an organization’s leadership will probably result in less innovation and fewer minority employees will be recognized for their contributions. These issues will fail to meet the expectations of customers who value diversity
• The majority of women feel excluded from decision making. They don’t feel comfortable expressing their opinions nor do they feel they can succeed. Only 40% of women in the workforce feel satisfied with the decision-making process where they work, causing job dissatisfaction and poor employee retention
• If high level management positions are filled with significant numbers of women, it could result in 34% greater returns to shareholders. Companies who have more women in leadership positions consistently outperform those with more than half of their leadership positions filled by men
• Employers with greater than average gender diversity and levels of employee engagement outperform those with below-average diversity and engagement by 46% to 58%. When employees feel respected, valued, and comfortable being themselves, it’s appears to favor the company’s bottom line
• Companies with greater-than-average diversity have 19% higher innovation revenues. A 2018 Harvard Business Review study found as diversity grew so did innovation, allowing diverse companies to market a greater range of products
• A McKinsey report published in 2015 stated companies in the top quarter for racial/ethnic diversity were 35% more likely to surpass their peers, while those in the same bracket for gender diversity were 15% more likely to do the same
• Companies with “two-dimensional” diversity (attributes someone is born with — sexual orientation or ethnicity — as well as characteristics developed through life experience) are 45% more likely to report they have a larger portion of the market and 70% more likely to have entered into a new market in the past year

Need help fighting discrimination in your workplace?

Though the future looks brighter for female and minority job applicants and employees, the need for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 still exists. If you believe you’ve been discriminated against at work, call the employment law attorneys at the Kingston Law Group, at 609-683-7400, or contact us online. We will schedule a reduced fee initial consultation online from our offices in Kingston.  We are compassionate counsel and tough advocates.  We will listen to your situation, discuss the law, and help you find your way to economic and social justice.  Call us today. You will be glad you did.