Final answer:
The Employment Equity Act protects women, visible minorities, disabled people, and aboriginal peoples, ensuring their equality in the workplace and safeguarding them from employment discrimination.
Step-by-step explanation:
A student asks which groups are protected by the Employment Equity Act. According to the reference material provided, the correct answer is option B, which enumerates women, visible minorities, disabled people, and aboriginal peoples as the groups specifically protected under the act. The act's purpose is to ensure these groups are not discriminated against in employment opportunities.
The Employment Equity Act aims to redress past discrimination in employment and to promote equality in the workplace for people in the designated groups: women, visible minorities, persons with disabilities, and Aboriginal peoples. It complements the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which also outlawed employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. The American with Disabilities Act (ADA) further supports the inclusion of disabled individuals in the workforce by requiring reasonable accommodations on the part of employers.