Legal Definitions - equal opportunity

Equal opportunity refers to the principle that all individuals should have the same chances and be treated fairly, without discrimination based on certain personal characteristics, especially in areas like employment, education, housing, and access to credit or public services.

This concept is legally protected by federal and many state laws, which prohibit unfair treatment due to a person's race, color, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), religion, national origin, age, or disability. The goal is to ensure that decisions are made based on an individual's qualifications, merit, and abilities, rather than on irrelevant and protected attributes.

Here are some examples illustrating equal opportunity:

• Employment Context: A technology company posts a job opening for a software engineer. The hiring manager receives applications from several highly qualified candidates. One candidate, who is a recent immigrant, has an excellent resume and performs exceptionally well in the interview. If the company hires this candidate based solely on their skills and experience, without considering their national origin, they are upholding the principle of equal opportunity. Conversely, if the company were to reject this candidate despite their qualifications, simply because of their national origin, it would be a violation of equal opportunity laws.

• Housing Context: A landlord owns an apartment building and has a vacant unit. A prospective tenant with a disability applies to rent the apartment, meets all the financial requirements, and has a good rental history. If the landlord approves their application and makes reasonable accommodations for their disability (like allowing a service animal), they are providing equal opportunity in housing. However, if the landlord denies the application solely because of the applicant's disability, despite their ability to pay rent and adhere to lease terms, this would constitute discrimination and a denial of equal opportunity.

• Education Context: A public university offers various scholarships to incoming students. The scholarship committee reviews applications based on academic transcripts, essays, extracurricular activities, and letters of recommendation. If the committee awards a scholarship to a student based purely on these merit-based criteria, without considering the student's race or religious beliefs, they are demonstrating equal opportunity in education. This ensures that all students have a fair chance to receive financial aid based on their achievements and potential, rather than on protected characteristics.