According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (2012), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as it appears in volume 42 of the United State code, states that it is illegal for employers to discriminate against employee within an organization in regards to race, gender, color, religion, or country of origin (Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Editors Note, para. 1). Ivancevich and Konopaske (2013) also explain that within the code, employers cannot retaliate against an employee who alleges discrimination, as listed above, or any employee who is involved in a discrimination lawsuit. Organizations that are exempt from Title VII include employers and labor organizations that employ less than 15 employees or members, private membership establishments and various religious organizations (Ivancevich & Konopaske, 2013). The law encompasses several aspects of employment that include, hiring of employees, firing of employees, promoting and compensation (Ivancevich & Konopaske, 2013).
The Civil Rights Act of 1991 amended several of the statutes enforced by EEOC. Under the previous code, jury trials were possible only in cases brought under the EPA or the ADEA. Under amended provisions, parties were allowed to obtain jury trials and recover compensatory and punitive damages in Title VII and ADA lawsuits involving intentional discrimination (Ivancevich & Konopaske, 2013). The Act also placed statutory caps on the amount of damages awarded for future losses, pain and suffering and punitive damages based on the organizations size (The Civil Rights Act of 1991, Compensatory and Punitive Damages section, para. 1-4). The amended law allowed alternative for employer to handle disputes by utilizing mediation, facilitation, and arbitration over jury trials (Ivancevich & Konopaske, 2013). Lastly, Title VII and ADA coverage was extended to