Final answer:
The correct answer is the Immigration Reform & Control Act (IRCA) of 1986, which prohibits discrimination against job applicants on the basis of national origin or citizenship and penalizes the hiring of undocumented workers.
Thus (option b) is right answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
The act that prohibits discrimination against job applicants based on national origin or citizenship and establishes penalties for hiring undocumented workers is the Immigration Reform & Control Act (IRCA) of 1986. This legislation was enacted to discourage illegal immigration by making it a crime to knowingly hire individuals who are not legally permitted to live and work in the United States. Additionally, it introduced the I-9 form, essential for employers to verify an employee's eligibility to work in the U.S., and it also granted amnesty to certain illegal residents who arrived before January 1, 1982.
The IRCA was aimed at improving the integrity of the U.S. workforce by requiring employers to confirm the citizenship status or work eligibility of their hires, thus also aiming to protect the rights of legal immigrants. However, this act resulted in some discriminatory hiring practices as certain individuals deemed 'foreign-looking' were overlooked for employment opportunities, contrary to the intent of reducing discrimination on the basis of national origin.
Public policies such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, and the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 are various laws designed to combat employment discrimination in many forms. These acts are crucial in emphasizing the importance of creating a just and equitable labor market.
Thus (option b) is right answer.