Final answer:
The Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972 expanded the powers and jurisdiction of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, enhancing its role in fighting employment discrimination as per Title VII, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972 significantly bolstered the capabilities and scope of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). This expansion enabled the EEOC to more effectively carry out its mission of investigating employment discrimination complaints and enforcing federal statues against discrimination, which Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Economist Phyllis Ann Wallace played a crucial role as the commission's chief of technical studies, amassing a large collection of data that aided in their investigative endeavors.
Although initially, resources were deemed too strained to address issues beyond racial discrimination, over time the enforcement of protections against discrimination based on sex, and eventually other characteristics as outlined in Title VII, became integral to the EEOC's function. The EEOC now enforces laws against workplace discrimination, ensuring that equal employment opportunity is afforded to all individuals, regardless of these protected characteristics.