Equal Employment Opportunity laws prohibit specific types of job discrimination in certain workplaces. The Department of Labor has two agencies which deal with EEO monitoring and enforcement, the Civil Rights Center and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs.

• Civil Rights Center, part of the Office of Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management, oversees EEO in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance. CRC also assures equal opportunity for all applicants to and employees of DOL.
• The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs oversees employers holding federal contracts and subcontracts.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is an independent federal agency that promotes equal opportunity in employment through administrative and judicial enforcement of the federal civil rights laws and through education and technical assistance. Applicants and employees of most private employers, state and local governments, educational institutions, employment agencies and labor organizations may be assisted by the EEOC.