The Justice Department ruled Tuesday that Equal Employment Opportunity Commission guidelines on workplace discrimination violate civil rights laws by pressuring employers to make race-based hiring and promotion decisions.

The opinion from the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel found the EEOC guidelines unconstitutional, determining they effectively require employers to take race into consideration during employment decisions.

The Office of Legal Counsel opinion does not carry the same legal weight as a court ruling but represents the Justice Department's official legal interpretation. Such opinions typically guide federal agency actions and can influence how laws are interpreted and enforced.

The ruling could potentially impact discrimination cases brought by employees against employers, as it challenges the legal framework the EEOC has used to guide workplace diversity and hiring practices.

The EEOC, an independent federal agency, is responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against job applicants or employees based on protected characteristics including race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetic information.