Topic Guides / Equity & Job Quality

Equity & Inclusion

Prioritizing equity is key to meaningfully improving work

Eliminating existing inequities in our economy and workplaces is essential to creating dignified, sustainable, and safe jobs for all workers.

Inequity in our economy is not new—poor worker protections and professional segregation is rooted in the US’ history of exclusion, racism, and slavery. It is vital to center equity when working to improve jobs, to make sure our new standards for what good work is uplift all workers and promote equity. Equity in job quality means not just eliminating wage and wealth disparities, but also access to benefits, workplaces that are safe, and workplaces free of harassment, intimidation, and racism.

The resources in this guide are a starting point for organizations seeking to improve their focus on equity or take specific actions. It features resources that help provide context and background information for how racial, gender, and other inequities manifest in terms of job quality, as well as actionale resources like assessments and audits.

Prioritizing Equity & Inclusion

Not sure how to get started? Our featured Equity & Inclusion resources can help guide your experience.

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Woman using a barcode reader in a distribution warehouse

Ready for Equity in Workforce Development

Feature resource: This 2018 racial equity readiness assessment tool, created by Race Forward and the Center for Social Inclusion, is designed for workforce development professionals and provides useful prompts on how equity is integrated into an organization’s workforce strategy and services.

Young woman and man laughing in commercial kitchen

<img decoding="async" width="1024" height="682" src="https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Addressing-Job-Quality-and-Equity-in-a-Time-of-Crisis-1024x682.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Young woman and man laughing in commercial kitchen" srcset="https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Addressing-Job-Quality-and-Equity-in-a-Time-of-Crisis-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Addressing-Job-Quality-and-Equity-in-a-Time-of-Crisis-300x200.jpg 300w, https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Addressing-Job-Quality-and-Equity-in-a-Time-of-Crisis-768x512.jpg 768w, https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Addressing-Job-Quality-and-Equity-in-a-Time-of-Crisis-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Addressing-Job-Quality-and-Equity-in-a-Time-of-Crisis.jpg 2000w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />

Addressing Job Quality and Equity in a Time of Crisis

Feature resource: The recording of this 2021 event, Addressing Job Quality and Equity in a Time of Crisis: Tools and Case Studies from Local Government, Workforce Development, and Policy Advocacy hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program, features examples of how to improve job quality while centering equity and the needs of local communities.

Conducting a Pay Equity Audit

<img decoding="async" width="1024" height="603" src="https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Conducting-a-Pay-Equity-Audit-1024x603.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Conducting a Pay Equity Audit" srcset="https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Conducting-a-Pay-Equity-Audit-1024x603.jpg 1024w, https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Conducting-a-Pay-Equity-Audit-300x177.jpg 300w, https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Conducting-a-Pay-Equity-Audit-768x452.jpg 768w, https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Conducting-a-Pay-Equity-Audit-1536x905.jpg 1536w, https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Conducting-a-Pay-Equity-Audit.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />

Conducting a Pay Equity Audit

Feature resource: This 2019 resource from Practical Law contains helpful information on performing a pay equity audit, from the legal grounding to data collection, analysis, and challenges.

Crowd at a rally in Washington D.C.

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="682" src="https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Title-VII-of-the-Civil-Rights-Act-1024x682.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Crowd at a rally in Washington D.C." srcset="https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Title-VII-of-the-Civil-Rights-Act-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Title-VII-of-the-Civil-Rights-Act-300x200.jpg 300w, https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Title-VII-of-the-Civil-Rights-Act-768x512.jpg 768w, https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Title-VII-of-the-Civil-Rights-Act-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Title-VII-of-the-Civil-Rights-Act.jpg 2000w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act

Feature resource: This 2022 event, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act: Fulfilling the Promise of Equal Opportunity, hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program, features a discussion on the history and legacy of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, an installment in a five part series on the history and future of U.S. labor law.

Resources

Additional Resources

Explore more resources on this topic below or click “View All Resources” to search the full library for other relevant resources.

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Aerial view of supported hands out together

Transgender Inclusion in the Workplace: A Toolkit for Employers

Human Rights Campaign

Crowd at a rally in Washington D.C.

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="682" src="https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Title-VII-of-the-Civil-Rights-Act-1024x682.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Crowd at a rally in Washington D.C." srcset="https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Title-VII-of-the-Civil-Rights-Act-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Title-VII-of-the-Civil-Rights-Act-300x200.jpg 300w, https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Title-VII-of-the-Civil-Rights-Act-768x512.jpg 768w, https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Title-VII-of-the-Civil-Rights-Act-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Title-VII-of-the-Civil-Rights-Act.jpg 2000w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act: Fulfilling the Promise of Equal Opportunity

The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program

Young woman and man laughing in commercial kitchen

<img decoding="async" width="1024" height="682" src="https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Addressing-Job-Quality-and-Equity-in-a-Time-of-Crisis-1024x682.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Young woman and man laughing in commercial kitchen" srcset="https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Addressing-Job-Quality-and-Equity-in-a-Time-of-Crisis-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Addressing-Job-Quality-and-Equity-in-a-Time-of-Crisis-300x200.jpg 300w, https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Addressing-Job-Quality-and-Equity-in-a-Time-of-Crisis-768x512.jpg 768w, https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Addressing-Job-Quality-and-Equity-in-a-Time-of-Crisis-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Addressing-Job-Quality-and-Equity-in-a-Time-of-Crisis.jpg 2000w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />

Addressing Job Quality and Equity in a Time of Crisis: Tools and Case Studies from Local Government, Workforce Development, and Policy Advocacy

The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program

Hispanic woman working at a dry cleaner

Advancing Frontline Workers of Color: Innovating for Competititve Advantage in America’s Frontline Workforce

FSG and PolicyLink

Multi-ethnic workers in warehouse having meeting

Awake to Woke to Work: Building a Race Equity Culture

Equity in the Center

A man standing in front of a laptop and smiling.

Open to Good Jobs: Now is the Time to Improve Equity and Job Quality in Restaurant Work

The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program

Female industrial engineer wearing a white helmet while standing in a heavy industrial factory behind she talking with workers, Various metal parts of the project

Assessing Job Quality and Equity in Your Local Labor Market: A Closer Look at Race, Gender, and Place

The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program

Advancing Frontline Women in Retail

Advancing Frontline Women in Retail: Realizing the Full Potential of the Retail Workforce

Conducting a Pay Equity Audit

<img decoding="async" width="1024" height="603" src="https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Conducting-a-Pay-Equity-Audit-1024x603.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Conducting a Pay Equity Audit" srcset="https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Conducting-a-Pay-Equity-Audit-1024x603.jpg 1024w, https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Conducting-a-Pay-Equity-Audit-300x177.jpg 300w, https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Conducting-a-Pay-Equity-Audit-768x452.jpg 768w, https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Conducting-a-Pay-Equity-Audit-1536x905.jpg 1536w, https://jobqualitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Conducting-a-Pay-Equity-Audit.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />

Conducting a Pay Equity Audit

Woman using a barcode reader in a distribution warehouse

Ready for Equity in Workforce Development: Racial Equity Readiness Assessment Tool

Race Forward, et al.

Smiling male and female colleagues discussing plans while looking at a tablet standing in coffee shop

Adding Racial Equity to the Menu

ROC United, et al.

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