Final answer:
U.S. equal employment opportunity laws generally apply to businesses with 15 or more employees and cover various aspects of employment to prevent discrimination and to balance the power between workers and employers.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertains to which businesses U.S. equal employment opportunity laws apply to. Most U.S. equal employment opportunity laws, enforced by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), apply to companies with 15 or more employees. This includes protections against discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age (40 or older), disability, or genetic information. The laws cover various aspects of employment, such as hiring, firing, pay, job assignments, promotions, layoff, training, benefits, and other terms and conditions of employment. These laws aim to provide a more equal balance of power between workers and employers, which also includes setting minimum wages, regulating work hours and health conditions, prohibiting child labor, and requiring family leave.